Tough Choices
by MelanthiaChase
Summary: Speculative A/U- Milla has just made the hardest decision of her life. Now she just has to wait for Juice to make his. Juice/OC !Spoiler Warning! Spoilers for seasons 4 and 5. Largely inspired by events in season 5 !Spoiler Warning!
1. Pros and Cons

**I own nothing you recognize. All original characters and storylines are my own.**

**_!Warning!_ Spoilers for seasons 4 and 5._ !Warnin!_**

**Pros and Cons**

"Juice! Your old lady's here!" Doug, one of the mechanics called out and Juice got off the picnic table where he was having a drink with Chibs and walked to his Old Lady who was holding Espy while Ellie and Kenny stayed in the van.

"Hey babe, everything ok?" He asked and Milla sighed.

"Not quite, I was just informed that Kenny and Ellie have to switch schools. We're no longer in the appropriate district. Also Espy has somehow lodged a quarter up her nose so we're heading to the ER. I just wanted to stop by and see if you could find someone to watch the two older kids while I take her in." She requested and Juice nodded.

"Of course, Phil's got nothin to do and the kids love kicking his ass at Go Fish." Juice smiled and Milla smiled back.

"Thank you, I just don't want them to be bored while we wait.." She leaned up and kissed his cheek before she gave him a serious look. "When you get home tonight we have to have a serious talk."

"That doesn't sound good." Juice said nervously and Milla looked at him sadly.

"It might not be. I'll be back to pick up the kids once Espy's taken care of." She told him as she leaned up to kiss his lips. "Love you."

"Love you too." He told her slowly as he watched her go to the van and let the kids out then put Espy in the car seat. Once she was secure Milla gave him a little wave before she drove out of the lot and he ran a hand over his head. Whatever was going on couldn't be good, her face said it all.

…

Juice walked into the house tense and uneasy. When Milla had come to pick up the kids he'd tried to get her to spill what she wanted to talk about but she'd been vague, only saying that it was "serious" and that she needed him to come home. Unfortunately, Clay needed to run some late errands so here he was sneaking into his own house after midnight. He expected Milla to be asleep since she had to be up with the kids in the morning so he was surprised to see her sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee. She'd obviously been crying so it made his tension increase a hundredfold.

"Hey Hubby, glad to see you decided to come home." Milla said quietly as she stirred her coffee. "I honestly thought you'd be sleeping at the clubhouse."

"Clay needed to run a few errands, that's why I'm late." He explained and Milla nodded.

"Probably working on some Machiavellian scheme." She said bitterly but before Juice could respond she held up a hand. "He may still sit at your table but he's not President anymore. I can air my grievances if I want to."

"He needs your love and support, not this attitude." He scolded her before he joined her at the table. "What do you want to talk about? I'm tired and wanna go to bed."

"I think you know what I wanna talk about, I think you've known for awhile now. Ope's death was just the breaking point." Milla explained as she took a deep breath to gather courage. "I need out of Charming. I don't care where we go but I can't take living in SAMCRO's shadow right now."

"You wanna leave me? Take our kids and run?" He asked, his voice raising a level in his sudden anger but Milla reached over and grabbed his hand.

"No, that's just it. If I wanted to leave you I could've left at any time. I could have told you I was going on a vacation with the kids then never returned. I'm that desperate to leave Juice. Not for me, for the kids. Haven't Ellie and Kenny lost enough? Do you want Espy and Little Bean to be surrounded by death and betrayal? No one to count on...not even us?" She pleaded with him and all he could do was hang his head. Everything she said was right, it made complete sense. He wanted to leave at one point, was desperate to...but now...he didn't think he could. Clay needed him and Jax needed bodies at the table.

"This is our home Milla, our family. Can you honestly tell me you wanna leave Clay, Gemma, Jax, the boys?" He asked and Milla looked him steadily in the eyes.

"Yes, Jax and I are good again and I know he'd understand. Mom...Mom's on a self-destructive path and I don't want to be drawn into her bullshit. Dad...I don't trust him anymore, not since I found out about Piney." She took a deep breath before she confessed what was in her heart. "I don't believe it was self defense. I don't believe anything he says anymore."

"Milla...I know what you mean." Juice confessed and her eyes widened. "He's lying about something, something big, but I'm stuck. I also can't leave him without anyone. He's already broken, he doesn't deserve to be alone."

"That's just it, he's preying on your insecurities and it's killing me to see you reduced to this. He's an organ grinder and you're his monkey, baby." Milla held his hand as he glared at her. "Be pissed at me if you want but think about it. Lately, you've been doing nothing but driving him around and running his errands. You're worth more than that. I need you to see that, Juice. You're everything to me and the kids, we love you and need you more than he ever will."

"What about the Sons? You want me to black out my ink and walk away? You know what I've done to protect the Club and protect myself. I can't walk away, I'm in too damn deep." Juice practically shouted and Milla put her hands up in a gesture of peace.

"I'm not asking you to walk away from the Club, I'm just asking you to transfer, move away from this place so we can raise our family away from this shit. You know any Charter would love to have you." She explained and Juice ran his hand over his face. "You know Looney would love to have you in Portland and the Intel Officer position is waiting for you if you want it."

"Transferring's a big deal Milla, it's not like going on a run. If I leave SAMCRO it'll take a lot of shit before I could come back." He tried to explain and Milla merely gave him a look.

"Do you think I'm stupid Juice? I was raised in this life, I know all the shit that you have to go through for a transfer. I wouldn't ask you to go through that bullshit if this wasn't important. I wouldn't ask this of you if I wasn't sure that a transfer was the best thing for our family. If you transfer you don't have to choose between us and the Club." Milla explained and Juice sighed.

"Let me guess, if I stay in SAMCRO you'll leave me? Is that the ultimatum?" He asked and Milla bit her lip before she spoke.

"I really don't want it to be. I love you more than just about anything in the world but I can't do this anymore. I can't sit at home wondering what stupid shit my Dad has suckered you into. I can't watch Jax keep dragging you all deeper and deeper into the drug shit. Above all I can't watch you die when your secrets come out because these secrets always come out. If we leave Charming it gives us a head start, a chance for you to move beyond this." She pleaded with him and Juice closed his eyes.

"Do you honestly believe switching Charters will stop the inevitable?" He asked and Milla shook her head.

"No, just...stall it. Don't you want to raise our children? Meet Little Bean? I don't want to lose you Juice and this is the only way we can delay that." She pleaded with him, tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

"What about you? How would you be able to handle the move?" He asked as he reached a hand over and ran his thumb along her cheek.

"I'd manage, as long as I had you and the kids I'd be fine. As for work I'll wait tables if it means keeping our family afloat. You and the kids are my world and I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe and make sure you feel loved. Haven't I proven over the years that you and the kids are everything to me?" She asked and Juice answered by gripping the back of her neck and pulling her into a kiss then he pressed their foreheads together.

"This request is a lot to think about baby. I need some time to think, weigh things out. You know the Club comes first but you and the kids are part of me, heart and soul. I love you and want you happy." He kissed her gently again before moving away. "If your happiness means we live in different states then that's we'll do. If it means transferring Charters then that's what I'll do. No matter what I can't leave the Sons, the Reaper's a part of me."

"The Reaper's part of me too, the Sons are in my blood. That's why I can't ask you to leave the Club. I wouldn't do that to you. Just think about all I've said. You're worth more than you think and the way you're being used is shameful. You deserve to go somewhere you're appreciated, somewhere you're respected. You don't have to be his monkey Juice, you have a chance to move forward and our family has a chance to get out of ground zero." She kissed him again before she rubbed their noses together. "Let's go to bed, we both have to be up early and we both have a lot to think about. Just don't ever forget that I love you and always will."

"I'll remember as long as you do." She smiled as she kissed him before she got up and went to the staircase. After a few minutes of thinking Juice followed her and stripped out of his clothes before he crawled into bed and ran a hand down her body. He slid his hand into her panties and as she quietly moaned he focused on her. His mind was going a million miles a minute and he needed his wife and what she had to offer. Being inside of her was better than ritalin and weed combined.

…

Milla fell asleep almost immediately after the lovemaking, her emotions and the physical exertion exhausted her. Juice wasn't as lucky, while the sex too the edge off he still couldn't shut off his brain long enough to fall asleep. Everything she'd told him at the table ran through his mind and he realized why he got so mad at her comparing him to an organ grinder's monkey...he was one. Clay was playing the music and he worked the crowd. He backed Clay at the table and drove him around like a bitch. He'd also turned a blind eye to the shit Clay had been pulling. Milla's words had lifted the veil and he saw it all and became disgusted with himself. No wonder Clay could pull his strings so well he was weak, a tool and it wasn't fair to him or his family to keep this going. He loved Clay like the father he'd never had but he was a father himself. He had Espy and the Little Bean to think of they deserved to know their Daddy. Ellie and Kenny deserved a stable family to love and support them. The best thing for everyone seemed like it would be to leave, but then he thought about the Club. There was so much shit on their plates that him leaving would just heap more on.

Groaning Juice got out of bed and left the bedroom. When he got to his office he turned on his computer and started generating a spreadsheet. He had to map and chart each decision. Only when he had the possibilities broken down into clear, simple numbers could he move forward. Only when he saw the pros and cons for himself could be begin to make the decision that would either be the best he'd ever make or the worst.

* * *

…

* * *

**Author's Note:** This is yet another speculative work. I'm starting to get really scared for Juice so I needed to create an outcome for him that wasn't complete doom and gloom. I plan on this story being three chapters so this is the start. My big issue is that Juice NEEDS to get away from Clay and stop being his bitch. Only when he's out of his sphere of influence will he see the error of his ways. Sorry for the rant, I'm just really nervous about his fate right now. I'm also taking this time to let you guys know that I'm not going to be as active in the SoA fandom for a while. I'm finding myself less inspired by the stories presented and HATING people I formerly loved *cough*Gemma*cough* *cough*Clay*cough*, and that's made me sad and I feel a bit helpless from a fic standpoint. If any of you are "Lost Girl" fans you can keep tabs on me during my fic walkabout by reading my fics in that fandom "Awake" and "The Ties that Bind", something about that show has really worked my muse's mojo. Ok, sorry about the long ass A/N but I needed to rant. As always thank you for reading, it means so much to me.


	2. Drawn and Quartered

**I own nothing you recognize. Only original characters and storylines are my own.**

**Drawn and Quartered**

"Somethin' on your mind Juicy?" Clay asked as he sat in the truck with Juice while they waited for the light to turn green.

"Naw, I had a long night last night. Stuff with the kids." He explained before he pulled back into traffic.

"Espy ok? I haven't seen her in a while. I think her Mama's avoidin' me." Clay said as he glanced sideways at Juice who kept his eyes forward. "Heard she's cut Gemma out completely. How'd you let that happen? Gemma needs her family right now and Milla cuttin' her out is tearin' her up."

"Milla has her reasons for cuttin Gemma out and I've tried to get her to change her mind but she won't. Besides, I doubt it's really hurting Gemma to be cut off from Milla. I keep running into her and she hasn't asked me about Milla or the kids once.". Juice explained and Clay sighed.

"You know those two have a fucked up relationship. Just...talk to her, get her to remember how much she needs her family. You're a good man Juicy, do the right thing." Clay told Juice and after that they were quiet as Juice drove him to the pharmacy.

Clay was right, Gemma needed her family but she also needed to get her shit together and until she did Milla wasn't going to give an inch. Gemma had burned her too many times for her to just forgive and forget.

"Hey Chibs, ya busy?" Juice asked as he saw the Scotsman lounging at a table. He'd just dropped Clay off at home so he was going to take the opportunity to ask the questions he didn't dare ask Clay.

"I got a minute or two. What d'ya need Juicy?" Chibs asked as he lit his cigarette and leaned against the railing with Juice.

"I need to ask you something serious. Something that can't go past us." Juice looked Chibs in the eye and Chibs nodded as he took a drag.

"Ya 'ave my word. What's on yer mind?" He asked and Juice ran a hand over his head to steady his thoughts.

"If you had a chance to get outta here and be with your family would ya do it? I don't mean leavin' the Club, I mean finding somewhere else to call home." Juice asked and Chibs stared at him thoughtfully as he took another long drag.

"I'd 'ave ta think about it long an' hard. Why's this on yer mind?" Chibs asked and Juice took a deep breath.

"Milla's done, she can't handle this shit anymore. The drugs, Gemma's shit, Clay...and now we're raising Ope's kids... It's too much for her and it's hard on me too. I promised I'd do whatever I could to make her happy and keep her safe, I can't do that if we stay in Charming." Juice confessed and Chibs ran a hand through his hair and stood up.

"She give ya an ultimatum?" Chibs asked and Juice stared at his feet for a few moments before he answered.

"Not really, she told me that she needs to leave and she wants our family to leave together. She says she can't be happy here and that she knows our family won't be happy here either. All I know is I need my family, both of 'em." Juice explained and Chibs placed a hand on his shoulder.

"What d'ya think is the right choice fer ya?" Chibs asked and Juice gave him a long, tortured look.

"I don't know man, I just don't know." Juice said hopelessly and Chibs squeezed his shoulder.

"Ya have ta decide what's more important ta ya. Is it keepin' yer family safe an' happy or stickin' around? It's not a question a' loyalty Juicy, it's about what's right for you an' yer family. Ya can be a Son anywhere. Whatever yer decision is I stand by ya. Go on in, Jax has shit fer ya to do." Chibs ordered and squeezed one last time before Juice nodded and walked away. The talk they'd just had left him with even more to think about but, for some reason, he wasn't as overwhelmed as he'd been the night before.

…

"What are you doing here?" Milla asked coldly as she looked at the visitor on her porch.

"I wanted to see you, see my grandbaby." Gemma explained and Milla walked out of the house and shut the door before she turned to her Mother with her arms crossed.

"First, I need you to take off your sunglasses." Milla told her as her mouth set into a firm line.

"What?" Gemma asked incredulously and Milla just gave her a hard stare.

"I don't have a breathalyzer on me so I need to see your eyes." She explained and Gemma glared at her daughter but complied. Milla moved closer and looked into her Mother's eyes. As she made note of the blood-shot, glassy quality and large pupils she backed up again and scoffed.

"It's nine-thirty in the fucking morning Ma. You couldn't even make it through breakfast without a hit?" Milla asked and Gemma took a deep breath.

"Don't judge me little girl. You may not like me but I have the right to see my grandchild." Gemma tried to push forward and Milla uncrossed her arms and pushed her hands against her Mother's chest just hard enough for her to stumble back.

"I'm her Mother and you have NO rights where she's concerned. I could care less what you do alone at night but you will not see my baby, still high and drunk from the night before. Tara may have fallen for your shit, let you in again, but I've been putting up with it too damn long. I see you for what you are Gemma and unless you can get out of this self destructive chasm you're in you will never see my children again." Milla laid it all out on the table and Gemma stared at her in shock, not used to this firm and demanding Milla, but her face changed to confusion when Milla's words came through.

"Children? What do you mean children?" She asked and Milla gave her a small, sad, smile.

"If you gave a damn about me at all and asked after me once in awhile, you'd know that Juice and I are the legal guardians of Ellie and Kenny. Other than that though you'd know that I'm almost ten weeks pregnant. Dr. Nior thinks the conception date was the day the guys got out of prison." Milla actually smiled but it disappeared when she looked at her Mother. "Unless you get your shit together you're never going to meet your new grandchild. You aren't the Queen anymore so you can't use the Club to meet your ends and force me to let you into our lives again. Get sober, get straight and we'll talk, but for now get off my property."

"Milla..."Gemma started to reach toward her daughter but Milla turned and opened the door.

"Go on Gemma, you have no place here. Lord knows if you have a place anywhere anymore." With that Milla walked into the house and shut the door.

As Gemma heard each lock in the door turn it was a stab to her heart. She knew that she focused on Jax and poured all her love into him and the boys but that could change. She wasn't going to lose her daughter, but she knew what she had to do. She had to back off and figure out a plan. No way was Milla keeping Espy away from her too.

…

Milla pressed her back against the door and took a series of deep breaths. The confrontation was easier than she thought it would be. She thought she'd end up caving rather than hurt her Gemma. Instead of remorse she felt relief as twenty six years of frustration and pain from emotional neglect, distance and coldness came pouring out. That little shove exorcised some of her demons and the words vanquished more. With a deep breath Milla pushed off the door and went into the living room where Espy was chattering in her baby talk to Ellie and she smiled at her babies and felt a burst of confidence. Everything she was doing was for them and she'd continue to do everything in her power to keep them happy and build a good life for them.

…

"Hey, Juice, what's up? You seem more distracted then usual?" Bobby asked as he came up to the desk where Juice was pulling up some information Jax requested.

"I've just got a lot on my plate right now Bobby, a lot's goin' through my mind." Juice made a concerted effort not to look at Bobby and Bobby just grabbed a chair and sat by Juice, forcing him to pay attention to him.

"I know things are strained around the table Juicy, no one's more twisted around than you. If you need to talk about that shit, I'm here for ya man, We've been through too much shit for you not to trust me." Bobby encouraged and Juice looked down for a second before he looked at Bobby and decided that he did trust Bobby enough to tell him what was on his mind.

"Milla and I had a talk last night. She needs to leave Charming, for the kids and her sanity. She wants me to go with her, transfer to another Charter, but Clay and the Club need me here. I'm bein' pulled a million different directions man." He said as he shook his head and Bobby nodded. He'd been watching Milla for the last couple of weeks and had definitely noticed that her tether was starting to unravel. He loved that little girl and would miss her a hell of a lot but he agreed with her assessment. Milla needed out and she needed her family whole. There really was no other option for them.

"Do you want my opinion?" Bobby asked and Juice nodded, tears of frustration clouding his eyes. "You have to leave, if you wanna keep your family whole and your old lady happy it's the only way. Thief River needs someone without their head in their ass at the table and you'd be close enough to Charming to come if SAMCRO needed you. It would work for everyone, even Jax would understand."

"What about Clay?" Juice asked and Bobby looked thoughtful for a moment.

"If he loves Milla and your kids at all he'll understand. If he doesn't..." Bobby shook his shaggy head. "You've gotta do what's right for you and believe me when I say you need your family. Fight for them."

"Would you support me at the table?" Juice asked and Bobby stood and looked at him solemnly.

"No question." He patted Juice on the back before he walked away while Juice took a eep breath and went back to work. So far he had the support of two brothers if he chose to transfer, but the decision wasn't any easier. As he thought about it he knew what he had to do and the thought terrified him. Now filled with resolve he turned back to the task at hand, he had work to do before he went to his doom.

…

"What are you doing Auntie Milla?" Ellie asked as she joined her at the kitchen table while Espy napped and Kenny played Xbox in the basement.

"Looking for a new job baby." Milla explained as she uploaded a job application.

"You already have a job. You work where Lyla used to work." Ellie said with the confidence every nine year old had and Milla smiled.

"Well, I'm looking for a job somewhere else, somewhere not in Charming." She told Ellie before she closed out of her application and shut her laptop. "Can I ask you something sweetheart?"

"Yeah." Ellie said as she nodded.

"How would you feel about leaving Charming, moving to a new place?" She asked the little girl who looked thoughtful for a second.

"If we weren't here would you be safe? Would Uncle Juice stay alive?" She asked and Milla felt tears in her eyes. A little girl should never have thse concerns but Ellie had seen way too much in her short life.

"I think it would go a long way in helping our family, keeping us whole and safe." Milla explained. "What do you wanna do Elliedoll?"

"I think we need to go. Too much bad stuff happens here, I don't wanna lose you and Uncle Juice too." Ellie said as she hung her head and Milla moved around the table and knelt by her.

"You aren't gonna lose me Ellie, I'll do whatever it takes to keep you guys safe." Milla vowed as she hugged Ellie close. If Ellie felt this way, chances are that Kenny felt the same and her decision became cemented. Regardless of Juice's decisions she was taking her kids and getting as far away as she could.

…

Later that night Juice walked into the house and groaned as the stress caught up to him. He'd spent all day thinking and talking to the Brothers he trusted most. He got the same answer from all of them. They advised him to do whatever was right for him and his family but he was still as confused as he was the night before and he knew he would be until he talked to Jax and Clay. At the thought of talking to them he felt bile rise in his throat but he forced it down. Life was all about tough decisions and this was one that needed to be made for the good of his family. As he walked into the living room he found himself smiling as he saw his family sitting on the couch, eating Chinese food and watching a movie.

"Dada!" Espy yelled as she fought out of her Mama's grip and climbed from the couch. She moved as fast as her chubby legs could carry her and launched herself into her Daddy's arms as he knelt down. He picked her up and hugged her tight while she wrapped her little arms around his neck and he breathed in her baby scent. How could he ever think about losing this?

"Come on and join us babe. We're watching Homeward Bound and I ordered some Mongolian beef for you." Milla invited him over and he happily complied as he carried Espy to the couch and sat between his wife and Ellie.

As he relaxed he held Espy in his lap and ran his hand over Ellie's head. It felt good to sit with his family and just enjoy being with them. He looked in Milla's eyes and knew he needed to stop being a pussy and make up his mind.

"You got any white rice?" He asked as he moved around Espy and picked up the carton of beef while Milla smiled at him and picked up a smaller container and handed it to him. "Thanks babe."

They continued to smile as they settled into the couch and enjoyed their dinner and movie. It felt so right to be together as a family and Juice allowed himself to relax a bit. He had a big decision to make but at that moment he allowed himself to just enjoy being surrounded by his wife and kids, soon enough their world would change and they'd need these memories. Time would tell whether the decision made would be for better or worse.

* * *

…

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm taking liberty with Sutter's time frame. This is before Juice gets suspicious of the Nomads and definitely before the confession to Clay. As far as I'm concerned it didn't happen (though Theo was AMAZING in that scene) his death warrant was most likely signed when he told Clay everything. I didn't watch the show tonight but I have read spoilers and need this story now more than ever, I hope you're enjoying this alternate scenario and thank you for reading and reviewing. You're all awesome :)


	3. Settling Into Place

**I own nothing you recognize. All original characters and storylines are my own.**

**Settling Into Place**

"Hi there, Milla right?" Milla looked up from her seat in the waiting room and smiled when she recognized Sheriff Roosevelt's wife.

"Hello Mrs. Roosevelt, having a nice day?" Milla asked as the other woman sat next to her and nodded.

"It's a good day, even my first bit of morning sickness is great. It means this thing is real." She smiled wider and Milla grinned with her.

"You're having a baby? That's wonderful! How far along are you?" Milla asked excitedly, always willing to talk baby talk with other expectant mothers.

"Not very far, Eli and I are trying to keep it secret but sometimes I'm just so excited!" Rita exclaimed happily and Milla reached over to pat her hand.

"You have every right to be excited, nothing fills your heart like a child." Milla grinned then continued. "Don't worry about me blabbing, my lips are sealed."

"Thank you for that. What brings you here?" She asked and Milla smiled.

"Just a checkup. I just hit ten weeks and she wants to make sure everything's good." Milla smiled wider and Rita squeezed her hand.

"Congratulations, how does your husband feel about being a father?" She asked and Milla chuckled.

"Well, he loves it. We have a little girl, a little over a year old and we're raising my best friend's kids. They lost both of their parents so Juice and I stepped up." Milla explained and Rita's face turned sympathetic.

"The Winston kids...I heard about that. I'm glad they found a place with someone who obviously loves them a great deal." She continued to hold Milla's hand and Milla found her touch comforting, rather than annoying.

They continued chatting for a few moments before they were joined by a slightly panicked and out of breath Juice who walked up to his wife and leaned down to kiss her.

"I didn't miss anything, did I?" He asked and Milla shook her head.

"Nope, I was just chatting with Mrs. Roosevelt. Dr. Nior had an emergency so we're just going to have to wait a little longer. Sit with me?" Milla asked as Rita withdrew her hand and Juice nodded as he took the seat next to her, studiously avoiding Rita's gaze. He had enough problems with her old man, he didn't need to add offending her to his plate.

While Juice and Milla talked Rita was called in and Milla wished her luck. She may have hated Eli Roosevelt with a passion that rivalled the sun for heat but she was happy for his wife. At least their kid would have one good parent.

"You think you can get a referral?" Juice asked as he played with Milla's fingers before he lifted them to his lips and kissed.

"I'm sure of it. Have you heard back from Bruce yet?" She asked and he shook his head.

"Nope, not yet. I'm waiting until I talk to Jax and Clay before I press him." He explained and Milla nodded.

"Talk to them soon, otherwise they'll nail you to the wall. I don't want them thinking you're going AWOL baby." She told him and he squeezed her fingers tighter.

"Don't worry babe, I'll talk to them before it's too late. I'm gonna be with Clay a lot today anyway." He said as he kissed her hand again, but he didn't miss her eyeroll. "I'm just takin him grocery shopping then to the clubhouse. No doing stupid shit, I promise."

"Ok, I love you." Milla whispered as she ran a hand over Juice's Mohawk.

"Love you too." He told her as he leaned in for a kiss which she happily returned.

…

"You're late Juicy." Clay greeted Juice as he came out the door and Juice shrugged.

"I was with Milla at her OBGYN appointment. You in a rush?" He asked as Clay shook his head.

"Naw, how's my new grandbaby doin'? Know if it's a boy or girl yet?" He asked as he walked to the truck with Juice who smiled and shook his head.

"Nope, but I'm hopin for the boy, complete the set. Wanna see the sonogram?" Juice asked and Clay nodded so once they were in the truck he handed it over and Clay smiled.

"I'm happy for ya Juicy." Clay said as he continued to look at the picture and they pulled out. "Everything good this time?"

"Much better than expected. Milla's pacemaker is doing its job and the baby is growing at a good rate. Dr. Nior just wants Milla to get more sleep, she's not rested enough." Juice explained then he glanced at Clay and decided it was now or never. "I need to talk to ya about somethin' important."

"What's been botherin' ya lately?" Clay asked and Juice nodded. "Go on son."

"I'm plannin' on transferring out of Charming to Thief River. Bruce's writing the letter, I should get it soon, then I just need you guys to vote." Juice said it all while fear gripped his throat and Clay gave him an unreadable look.

"You just come up with this, or you been stewin' for a while?" Clay asked and Juice glanced at him again.

"Been thinking it over for weeks. Milla needs out and the kids need a stable home without all the drama and pain. We'll be far enough away to give them that chance but close enough that we can visit every once in awhile. I know you need me Clay, but my wife and kids need me more." He explained and Clay looked thoughtfully at him.

"Milla's gettin' spun out?" He asked and Juice ducked his head.

"She's not handling this shit well. Opie dying was her breaking point and I don't blame her. We've already talked to the kids, even took them to a counselor and they want to move. They need a fresh start, away from ground zero." Juice said sadly and Clay looked ahead.

"How long you gonna stick around after the vote? If you get the transfer?" Clay asked and Juice shrugged.

"Milla's moving in a month, with or without me. She's gotta get the new house set up and the kids in school. She's also gotta start her new job at the Thief River Courier. I'll join her as soon as Ipossible. If I can't I'll just try again when things are more settled, visit Milla and the kids whenever I can." Juice explained and Clay nodded.

"That gives us some time to work this shit out. You sure Milla won't stay?" Clay asked and Juice nodded.

"She's already got one foot out the door and I wanna be with her. We have a family Clay, I have to think about them right now. I'm not abandoning the Club, but I refuse to abandon them." His voice held a resolve that Clay hadn't heard in Juice for months. His backbone was getting stronger and he had Milla to thank for it. As Clay looked at his son in law and let his eyes go to the ring on his finger he realized the only way to keep Juicy's loyalty and his daughter's love would be to grant this request. It just meant that he'd have to speed up his plan. It just didn't work without Juicy.

…

Milla walked with trepidation into the building, she didn't know how welcome she'd be but what she had to do was more important than her nerves. She stopped near the front desk to get her bearings when footsteps grabbed her attention.

"Can I help you?" A handsome Latino man asked as he walked up to her and Milla stood straight.

"Hello, I'm here to see Gemma. She doesn't know I'm here." Milla exlained and he looked at her skeptically.

"Who should I tell her is here?" He asked and Milla gave him a small smile.

"I'm Milla Ortiz, Gemma's daughter. I don't know if she's even told you she had a daughter or not." Milla said and immediately cursed herself. She didn't know this man, he didn't need to hear her bitter tirade.

"I'm Nero Padilla, Gemma's...friend... It's nice to put the face to the name. Your Ma talks about you all the time." He told her and Milla shook her head. Her Mom caught another one in her trap.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Nero. My brother and husband have nothing but good things to say about you. Is it possible to talk to Gemma?" She asked and Nero nodded, but before he could go to get her the unmistakable sound of her heels clicking against the floor.

"What do ya need to talk to me about Milla? I thought I was persona non grata to you?" Gemma asked and Milla gave her a steasdy look.

"That's what I want to talk to you about. Can we go somewhere private? I won't take a lot of your time." Milla requested and Nero nodded.

"Yeah, follow Gemma, she'll take you to my private rooms." Nero explained and Milla smiled at him.

"Thank you Mr. Padilla." Milla thanked him before she walked to her Mother who gave her a look then walked on with Milla following behind. Once they were in a nicely decorated room Gemma shut the door behind her and turned back to her daughter.

"I'm sober if that's what you're here to check." Gemma crossed her arms and Milla sat on the couch and looked at her with sad, but loving, eyes.

"That's great to hear. Please join me, I really need to speak with you." Milla requested and Gemma nodded as she walked to the couch and joined Mills. "Thank you... First of all I want to apologize for how things went down between us. I never should have lost control like that and allowed things to get physical. It wasn't smart and I'm sorry. Secondly, I want to rescind my declaration. You can see Espy BUT, only if you follow my guidelines."

"Let me guess, you want me sober when i see my grandbaby?" Gemma asked and Milla nodded. "What brought this change of heart?"

"First tell me if you agree to my terms." Milla requested and Gemma reached over and tucked a stray lock of dark hair behind her daughter's ear.

"I agree, I'll be sober as a church mouse when I come to visit or when you bring her to visit. Now tell me what brought this on." Gemma lightly commanded and Milla took a deep breath.

"In a month the kids and I are moving to Thief River. I already have a job there and we found a nice, big house to rent that's in our price range and the kids are enrolled in school. It's an opportunity for us to move past everything, start over again." Milla explained and Gemma felt like the air had been knocked out of her.

"Moving? What about Juice, the Club, your family?" Gemma asked and Milla bit her lip.

"Juice is requesting a transfer to Thief River to be with us. Bruce is writing the letter now and Juice is talking to the guys. This is the best thing for us Ma, it really is." Milla explained as she took Gemma's hands and Gemma lightly squeezed, pleased that her daughter wanted the contact.

"You sure this is best. A lot of shit's goin' down, we need each other." Gemma started to spin the situation in her favor but one look at the hope and determination in her daughter's eyes stopped her. She may have let Milla down a hell of a lot growing up but she could give her this one thing she needed. "I guess there's no talkin' you out of it, huh?"

"Nope, it's happening. I just want you to know that as long as you make a genuine effort to stay sober my door will be open to you and you can be with your grandchildren. Thief River's only two hours away, not the other side of the country." Milla smiled and Gemma took a deep breath and squeezed Milla's hands.

"I think this is a bad idea, but if you're man agrees with ya then I guess I just have to let you go. Will you let me visit every once in awhile? Maybe bring a friend?" Gemma asked and Milla felt something in her gut twinge but she saw her Mother's actions for what they were. She was apologizing.

"I guess things are pretty serious between you two." Milla sighed then she leaned over and kissed Gemma's cheek. "We'll discuss friends later. Right now let's just put you on the visitor's list. Can you live with that?"

"Yeah I can and I'll be stoppin' by tonight. I owe my granddaughter a few stories and wanna see that sonogram." Gemma said and Milla gave her a small smile.

"I'm sure Espy will love that." Milla stood up and took her hands from her Mother's before shebent down and kissed Gemma's cheek. "I love you Mom. I may not like the path your life is taking but I love you."

"I love you too baby." Gemma smiled as Milla left then sat back on the couch as Nero walked in.

"Everything good? She didn't lay hands on you again, did she?" Nero asked as he walked in and sat down next to Gemma while she shook her head.

"Nope, she told me that as long as I'm sober I have access to her family. I was invited to her house tonight. I guess that means I need to pump myself full of coffee to get this shit outta my system if I wanna see Espy." She grinned the grin only a proud grandma could and Nero smiled with her.

"I'll have Lyla put on a pot." He leaned over and kissed her before he stood up and walked out while Gemma continued to smile. She hadn't lost her daughter and that felt damn good.

…

"Hey Jax, ya busy?" Juice asked as he walked into the Chapel and saw Jax looking at a folder.

"Not really, what d'ya need Brother?" He asked and Juice walked in and closed the door behind him while Jax raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"Can I talk to you? It's about something really important." Juice requested and Jax nodded. Taking the invitation for what it was Juice sat in a chair near him and looked steadily at the new President for a few moments as he worked out what he was going to say in his head. "Things aren't goin' well for Milla here and, if I'm honest, things haven't been goin' well for me for a long time. In a month Milla's movin' to Thief River. She has a job, the kids are already enrolled in the school there and we have a house. I wanna go with her and start fresh. Ellie and Kenny need that right now."

"Do you have the letter from Bruce?" Jax asked and Juice shook his head.

"Not yet, I wanted to talk to you, see where you landed before I pressed him for it." Juice told him and Jax nodded.

"Thiswas the right thing to do Juice. I'd be lying if I said you leaving wouldn't be a blow to us. I'd also be lying if I said I hadn't noticed Milla's mood lately. She's goin' off the rails and it kills me to see it. She needs to leave, for her sanity and for the sake of the kids. She also needs you to balance her out. There's no question that you belong with your family. I just have one question before we work this out. Do you think Phil could take over your duties?" Jax asked and Juice nodded.

"Yeah, I've been workin with him and he knows the financial programs like the back of his hand. I can also commute between Thief River and Charming if I'm needed." Juice explained.

"Good, as long as we got that covered we'll be good. No man should have to choose between his families. Be sure to let me know when you get your letter. We'll bring it to vote next week." Jax said and Juice rose,

"Thanks Jax." Juice moved to the door but Jax stopped him before he opened it.

"One more thing, what does Clay have to say about the move?" Jax asked and Juice gave him the fidgety smile.

"No idea, haven't talked to him about it." Juice lied as he tried to keep Jax from getting pissed off. He really should've gone to Jax first but the fates conspired to make Clay the first of the duo to get the news.

"Ok, why don't you go home for the rest of the day Juice? Talk to Milla about this some more. I'll talk to you later." Jax told him and Juice nodded before he went out the door as Jax leaned back. His shifty little smile proved that he'd went to Clay first but that didn't bother Jax, in fact it was a good thing. Now that Clay's monkey was leaving he'd be unbalanced and either have to show his hand early or regroup. Either worked for Jax. It also gave them the added benefit of stopping a certain Sanwa Sheriff from snooping around. Yeah, it would be a blow to lose their Intelligence Officer, but it would also be a blessing in disguise.

…

Juice smiled to himself as he pulled into his driveway. Phil was going to help Clay with his errands so that was one less thing to worry about. As he stopped in his customary spot his attention was drawn to another bike parked near his. He grinned wider as he recognized the tank and custom handlebars. This had to be the news he was waiting for so he parked his bike and took off his helmet before he quickly went into the house and saw what he knew he'd see.

"There he is!" Bruce's booming voice moved through the house as he stood and enveloped Juice in a hug. "It's good to see you Brother."

"Good to see you too. My old lady treatin' ya right?" Juice asked and Bruce turned a warm smile to Milla who was cutting Bruce another piece of her zucchini bread.

"You know it man. If I was twenty years younger and in better shape you'd have some serious competition." He nodded his thanks at Milla as she handed him his late then she got out another plate and plated Juice up a small piece. Bruce watched as she took care of her man before he waved her over. "Juicyboy and I have to discuss some Club business sweetheart. You mind leavin' us for a few minutes?"

"No problem, I have to wake Espy up from her nap anyway, otherwise she won't sleep tonight." She said before she rounded the table and kissed Juice's cheek then nodded at Bruce. "Its great to see you Bruce."

"Feelin's mutual darlin'." He continued to smile at her as she walked out of the room before he turned to Juice and took an envelope from his cut. "I guess I don't have to tell you what this is."

Bruce handed the envelope to Juice who opened it and read Bruce's request. It was finally getting real. He had a way out, his family had a chance to be happy. He choked up for a second before he put the letter back and looked at Bruce, his eyes full of gratitude.

"Thank you Brother, you have no idea what you've done for me and my family." He said as he placed the envelope in the pocket of his own cut and Bruce just nodded. It was done and if the vote went Juice's way he'd be going to Thief River. He'd be able to finally do right by his family.

* * *

…

* * *

**Author's Note:** First of all, this story is going to be longer than intended. I realized that I needed more buildup before the conclusion so expect a few more chapters before I tie things up. Secondly, I'm cutting the Nomad thing. Too many people get hurt and Juice is too drawn into that. There's no way he could leave. Third, I'm keeping Rita Roosevelt alive. I like her character and need her around for a later plot point. Now we're really going AU and after the conclusion of the last episode I really need this positive scenario. In all honesty I don't think Juice is going to die for a while but the threat is enough to make me tear up. Also, I'm sure there's a Thief River somewhere in this country but the Thief River I'm mentioning is a creation of my own. I wanted to create a place that's the opposite of Charming. Thank you all for reading and reviewing.


	4. Subterfuge

**I own nothing you recognize. Only original characters and storylines are my own.**

**Subterfuge**

Milla was rocking a sleeping Espy when the door rang. She looked helplessly at her baby then the door but wound up shifting Espy into a comfortable position. As she looked through the keyhole she smiled. She'd extended an invitation and she was so glad he accepted.

"Hey Bro." She greeted as she answered the door and Jax smiled as he stepped into the house and ran a loving hand over his niece's head.

"Hey, just putting her down for her nap?" He asked and Milla nodded, but a sudden dip in her left arm caused her to grimace. "Want me to take her?"

"That would be great. The arm still gives me fits every once in awhile." She explained and he gently lifted Espy from her arms and walked to the hallway as Milla followed him. She watched as Jax went to Espy's room and let himself in and smiled to herself as Espy fussed a bit at being set down.

"It's ok darlin', Uncle Jax's got you. Just sleep sweetheart." He said quietly and once she settled down he leaned forward and kissed her head before he got up and turned to his sister. "You both look good. Where're Ellie and Kenny?"

"They're with Lyla and Piper. She wanted to spend some time with them before the move." Milla said as she led Jax out of the room and down the stairs to the kitchen where he sat and she got him a cup of coffee.

"You two good now?" He asked, fully aware that there was a time when Milla wanted to kill Lyla for abandoning her godbabies.

"It's sad that it took Opie's death but she and I are good now. We'll never be as close as we were but we've worked through our shit. We managed to talk it out after the wake. Onto another topic...thank you so much for everything Jax. I know how hard it's going to be to lose him but we've gotta do this together." Milla explained and Jax nodded.

"Yeah, it's gonna be hard but Phil will do a good job. We wouldn't have voted for the transfer if we weren't sure it was the right thing to do. He needs you and you need out. There was no other choice." Jax explained and Milla nodded.

"You know I'm not cutting you out of our lives, right?" Milla asked and Jax smiled at her and nodded.

"I know, you'll come to visit and bring the kids. What are you gonna do about Gemma and Clay?" He asked and Milla fidgeted a bit.

"Well, Ma's free to come if she's sober but I haven't talked to Dad yet. I'm just so damned mad at him Jax! I thought getting shot and losing everything would make him remorseful, make him see the error of his ways but I was wrong. He's turned even more manipulative and secretive and I just know he has something planned, something that involves my husband. I know I'm just an old lady Jax but I need to let this out." She told him quickly and he nodded.

"I've got the same feelin', Juice let anything slip...maybe pillow talk?" He asked and Milla took a deep breath.

"Juice's pretty secretive too but last night he told me about going to the Wahewa land with Dad. I thought you had that arrangement on ice after the Russian thing?" Milla asked unobtrusively and Jax just gave her a look. "Sorry, but you know he's all in with me. No lies, no secrets."

"Yeah, I know, I just don't like the target it puts on your back. I don't wanna lose you too. You know I love you, right?" He asked and Milla nodded.

"Yes and I love you too. That's why I'm telling you what I know since I'm sure Juice is doing stupid shit out of misplaced loyalty to my Father. I'm at a loss here Jax." Milla said and Jax got out of his chair and pulled up the one closest to Milla and sat before he took her hands in his.

"Just focus on the kids and gettin' out of here. I'll find out what Juice and Clay are doin; and make sure you guys get out. Juice isn't stupid, just stupidly loyal. He shouldn't be punished for that." He leaned forward and kissed Milla's head. "I've gotta go Millipede, Club shit but remember that I love you and Espy and I want your family to start over. You deserve something going right for once."

"Thank you Jax." Milla said quietly before she stood and walked him out the door. Once it was closed she fell back against it with a sigh. She hoped she hadn't said anything that would end up hurting Juice, she'd die without him.

**…**

"Shit, what do you have in here Clay?" Juice asked as he carried an extremely heavy box out of the storage building. They'd gone to this facility on the Wahewa land several times during the last week and Juice was starting to wonder what all this shit was. He was also wondering if he should tell Jax, cover his ass before the move.

"Just some gift from a grateful Chief." Clay said as a smile stretched his face. This would be glreat. Once the contents of those boxes were discovered he'd have his revenge and Juice would be his patsy. It would be great to see Jax ousted from the head of the table and Clay would happily take it over, in the interim of course, as the Club scrambled to find his successor. All while Jax and Juice would be sent off with their tats inked out or with a bullet to the back of their heads.. It would be great and he'd be able to comfort Gemma as she grieved for Jax and fell apart over the destruction of her daughter's life. Clay felt a tinge of something like guilt in his gut as he thought about what would happen, but he pushed it aside like he always did. Milla's happiness would just be collateral damage and he'd be there to be her rock. He'd remind her why she was always a daddy's girl.

"Mind if I cut this one open? I heard somethin' rattling and I don't want anything broken." Juice lied convincingly. He was extremely suspicious of the smile on Clay's face and wanted to see just what he was dealing with. Juice may have trusted Clay implicitly at one point but lately the vibes he was getting from the older man were anything but good and he wanted to know just what he'd gotten himself into.

"Don't worry about it Juicy, if anything's broken I'll just chalk it up to bad luck. It would be rude to turn up your nose at a gift." Clay said and Juice just nodded before he put the box with the others then went into the unit to get the last box. As he entered he saw something shining in the corner and when Clay's back was turned he walked up to it and pocketed it before he picked up the last, extremely heavy, box and shut the back of the van, then closed the storage unit again.

"It's done Clay, you wanna head out? Milla's home today, I bet she could make us some lunch." Juice offered casually. He wanted to go home to examine what he found while Milla kept Clay occupied, it seemed like the best bet all around.

"Sounds good Juicy, I haven't seen Milla since before the vote." He said and Juice nodded then got in the van and ran a hand over his head. He had a feeling that what he'd just found wasn't good and he needed the proof before he went to his Pres. Jax was the only one who could save him now.

…

""Went by the Ortiz place today. It looks like something big's happening. One of the Club members was taking down their swing set and the wife was potting up some plants from her garden. There was also a pile of boxes by the door. My educated guess is that they're moving." The officer told Sheriff Roosevelt as the other man looked at him with emotionless eyes. What he'd heard didn't sound good. He needed Ortiz to feed him intel, to work on the inside. If he was planning to move without telling Roosevelt he had another thing coming.

"You see Ortiz, call him in. He needs to do another piss test." He ordered the officer who nodded and went out the door while Roosevelt steepled his fingers. Ortiz had better have a good reason for this shit, a damn good reason.

…

"You sure you've had enough chili Dad?" Milla asked as she waited to give her father something more to eat, hopefully to distract him from talking to her and asking awkward questions.

"Yeah Angel, it was as good as always. How's the moving goin'?" He asked, not missing Milla's cringe and smiled. She felt guilty and that was good, it would only work in his favor at the end.

"Better than expected. Rat and V-Lin took down the swing set today and helped me pot up most of my garden to bring to Ma's. She'll take care of the plants until a few can be transported. I've already got everything in the attic labeled and ready to go and Juice has most of his office packed up. The only difficulty will be packing up the kids. They seem to need everything and complain if I pack anything. Except for Espy who just grabs her toys and refuses to hand them over." She smiled as she thought about her daughter and Clay smiled too.

"What're you gonna do about Espy in this new town while you go to work? Neeta movin' with ya?" He asked, trying to unsettle her, catch her unprepared and throw her off balance.

"Bruce's wife, Cynthia, she runs a daycare and Espy's already signed up. They only live a block away so it won't be a hassle and they're Club-affiliated so we know we can trust them. She'll also take Ellie and Kenny after school for a few hours so it works out well for us." She told him and he didn't miss the gleam in her eye. It was a look he'd seen in Gemma's a million times it was a challenge and he knew better than to accept it.

"Where'd Juicy go? He bolted that chili then disappeared. Things alright here?" He asked as he was genuinely curious about Juice's whereabouts. The boy had been acting strangely, well stranger than usual, since they left the storage unit and he wanted to know what was up.

"He said something about needing to change. He's probably showering, you know how he is about the smell of gas in our house." Milla explained and Clay nodded. The idiot was anal about his house and gas was on the list of substances that couldn't taint his home and no one was a bigger supporter of that rule than Juice himself.

"While we wait tell me about this new house of yours. I wanna know where my Angel's gonna be living." He requested and Milla dished herself another bowl of chili. She was eating for two and her baby liked to remind her of that fact. Also, eating allowed her to pause and stop talking if things got even more awkward than they already were.

…

As Clay and Milla chatted in the kitchen and Espy napped down the hall Juice was looking over what he'd discovered. On first glance it looked like nothing, just a small scrap of metal but when he put on his magnifying goggles and headlamp he saw what looked like Chinese characters. They weren't the kitschy symbols used on tourist crap, no these were the real deal and Juice had seen them before. He'd seen them at Lin's restaurant and knew that he and his men shared tats of the same symbol. He still didn't know what the piece of metal was but it was a start.

He took off his goggles and lamp and quietly left his office but rather than walking down the hall he moved further into the house and went into the spare bedroom that Ellie had taken as her own. Being careful not to upset her things or make too much noise he opened her window and carefully lowered himself out of it and onto the ground. Once that was done he moved stealthily to the van and opened the driver's side door with as much care as he could then got inside. He went to the back and, taking his knife from its sheath, he cut open the box that he had the best access to. What he saw caused his eyes to widen and his throat to convulse. In the box there were plates in fifty, twenty, ten and five dollar denominations and parts of a printing machine. Moving quickly he opened another box and it was filled with sheets of bills. Finally he looked around and noticed a small box lodged under the passenger's seat. He took it out and opened it and what he saw caused his breath to quicken. In it were surveillance pictures of Juice and Jax talking on the lot at T-M, they didn't look good and what looked even worse was the picture of Juice leaving Lin's restaurant. His mind began working overtime as he thought about what this all meant and suddenly he knew. Once he put the box back and arranged everything as it had been Juice took out his cell and made a call. For once he was going to take control of his life and do the right thing.

"Jax, we got a problem." He looked down at the box under the passenger's seat again and grimaced. "A big problem."

…

After lunch Juice decided to take Clay home and unload the boxes. He'd already taken a plate and some cash to use as evidence and had snapped some pictures of the box of documents and pictures with his phone. Once Clay was home he was Juice was going back to the Clubhouse, he had a meeting with his President that couldn't be missed.

"Somethin' up with you Juicy? Since we left the house you seem distracted. Somethin' goin' on between you and Milla?" Clay asked and Juice shook his head.

"Nah, I'm just makin' lists in my head, figurin' out what to pack and what to leave with Phil. I have no doubt he can make due with what's in the clubhouse but he should have access to the good shit. Besides, the less tech shit I pack the less time it'll take. Especially since Phil and Chantal will be movin' in soon." He told him, only lying a little. He really had been doing that, but most importantly it was something believable.

"Just take everything with ya. When you started out you had nothin, it made ya creative, give Phil the same chance to learn." Clay recommended and Juice actually smiled at that. It would be good to teach Phil some self reliance and test his ingenuity but, at the same time, he liked the guy and wanted him to have what he needed. It would also result in less frequent trips to Charming in the long run.

"I have to work it out, see which option's the best." Juice said and it was the last thing out of his mouth until he pulled into Clay's driveway. Once there he backed up to the garage and unloaded the boxes while Clay went into the house. After everything was in its place he went to the house and walked in and saw Clay on his cell. His face looked serious and it was obvious that the call had his full concentration so Juice hung back and listened for a second.

"I got the shipment, it's been hauled to the agreed upon location. You ready for the rest of your bargain? Good, call me back when it's goin down." As Clay hung up Juice went back to the door and scraped his feet as he closed it behind him and Clay came out of the kitchen and just looked at Juice. "Everything done?"

"Yeah, I got a text from Jax. He needs me at the clubhouse. You good here?" Juice asked in a voice that he hoped was steady and Clay nodded.

"Go on Juicy, I'll call ya if I need ya." Clay told him and Juice nodded before he went to the door and opened it.

"Ok, talk to ya later Clay." Juice said as he went outside and Clay moved to the window to watch his son in law leave. He seemed nervous and fidgety and it set off something in Clay's mind. He'd have to keep a close eye on the boy, he didn't want his plan's to go up in smoke before Jax did.

…

Jax stood next to his bike and watched the van pull into the lot. He could tell from the way it was being driven that Juice was nervous about something and the phone call Jax had received was foreboding enough. When Juice got out of the van Jax walked up to his brother in law and jerked his head toward the clubhouse while Juice nodded and followed behind. As soon as the door closed behind them they went to the Chapel and Jax closed the door behind them and took his seat at the head while Juice placed the bag he'd stashed the plate and cash in on the table.

"It's in there, the shit I found." Juice explained and Jax opened the bag and his eyes widened subtly.

"This is Lin's shit. I recognize the detail on the plate." Jax said as he picked up the plate Juice had taken and Juice nodded.

"There are boxes of this shit. I've taken Clay to the Wahewa land three days and each time I load these kind of boxes into the back. I'd say there's probably a cool mil. What worries me more is the box of docs. Here's what I found in it." He told Jax before he handed over his cell and Jax scrolled through the pictures.

"Jesus Christ, the Club would hang us if they saw this shit. What were you doin' at Lin's?" Jax asked and Juice shrugged.

"Milla's cravings are startin' to get bad and his place was the only one I knew that had dragon rolls available for takeout. Seriously, I just went there to get the family dinner." Juice explained and Jax nodded. Now that Juice had the chance to play doting daddy and devoted husband he would.

"Ok, can Milla corroborate that?" Jax asked and Juice nodded. "Good, she may not be a patch but her word carries weight at this table. What's your take on this?"

"Simple, Clay's makin' deals behind the Club's back and settin' us up to take the fall." Juice explained simply and Jax nodded.

"I came to the same conclusion. We need to bring the others in on this, handle it as a Club." Jax told him and Juice nodded.

"You got it Pres." Juice told him and in that second Jax had no question about where Juice's loyalty lay.

"Go back to Clay's, just check in, show you care. We want him thinkin' we're not wise to his shit while we work out a plan." Jax told Juice who nodded and stood but before he could leave Jax stopped him.

"You did good Juicy, showed that your head's in the right place." Jax complimented him and Juice nodded.

"This Club and my family mean everything to me. I'll be damned if a bitter old man takes that from me.' Juice said before he walked out and Jax looked on, impressed. It looked like a switch had been flipped in Juice's head and Jax was glad. He needed to be strong for what was to come.


	5. Deceptively Calm

**I own nothing you recognize. Only original characters and storylines are my own.**

**Deceptively Calm**

"So you want white azaleas, a bouquet of blue carnations, a bunch of hyacinth and a large, solitary, sunflower?" Rita asked as she went over the order Milla had just given her.

"Yes, and if I could get a green bow on the sunflower that says "Daddy" I'd really appreciate it." Milla responded and Rita nodded her head.

"Trip to the cemetery?" She asked and Milla nodded sadly.

"Yeah, we're leaving in a few weeks and I know we'll be unbelievably busy so I wanted to go with the kids and say my goodbyes before we head out." She told the older woman as she played with the hem of her jacket.

"I didn't know you were moving, is it job related?" Rita asked, interested in this young woman's news and Milla nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, I got a new job and Juice transferred Charters. We're starting fresh, away from all of this." Milla made a gesture in the air and it was Rita's turn to nod.

"I get it, sometimes things are too much to bear and you need a change of scenery. You wait here and I'll work on your order." She said as she lightly touched Milla's hand and Milla smiled at her.

"Thank you Mrs. Roosevelt." She told the other woman, who smiled warmly.

"Call me Rita, I'll be back soon with your flowers." She patted Milla's hand then walked toward the back and Milla began to look through the catalog on the desk. While she was looking the bell on the door rang and Milla soon felt a presence standing next to her.

"Lovely day, isn't it Mrs. Ortiz?" At the sound of his voice Milla bristled but kept her eyes on the catalog.

"It was..." She said quietly and he chuckled.

"You still hate me huh?" He asked and this time Milla whirled around and stared at him with eyes reflecting sudden rage.

"Hate doesn't even begin to cover it Lieutenant. You've tried your damndest to ruin the life of a good man and his family and I'll never forget that. I'll also never forgive you." She spoke quietly and harshly and Roosevelt stood up straighter and made his face as emotionless as possible.

"That good man brought this all on himself-" He started before Milla cut him off with a snort.

"If you believe that then you're the most delusional man I've ever met. You did this to him, you brought this shit on our doorstep. Did it ever bother you that you were sending a husband and the father of a young child up the river or were you jealous that an outlaw had a family and you had to go to fertility specialists because your boys couldn't swim?" Milla asked and Eli froze but she continued. "You forget just how ingrained SAMCRO is in this town Lieutenant, I didn't even have to call in a favor to get that info. No one likes to gossip like a nurse."

"So what, I'm supposed to be impressed that you know my secret, let this shit go because I screwed up?" He asked and Milla shook her head.

"No, what you're supposed to do is leave my family in peace, that means my husband too. Soon enough we'll be out of your hair, hopefully for good, and you can go back to pestering motorists like you're so keen on doing. You won't have to keep tabs on your brothah anymore." Milla crossed her arms over her chest in a defiant gesture and he smiled, confident that he had her.

"So the rumors are true then, you're moving. Why wasn't I told this shit?" He asked and Milla chuckled.

"You weren't told because this shit has nothing to do with you. We're moving to get a new start, to build a new life together. Part of that new life means leaving behind the shitstorm in Charming, a shit storm that you've been central in. Everything you did contributed to me almost losing my husband once and I won't let you, or anyone else, drive him to that again. You're scum and I truly feel sorry for your child. She or he deserves someone better as a father, thank god that Rita's there to make up for your failure as a human being." Milla spoke confidently and before he could retort Rita came out of the back as though she'd been summoned and Roosevelt bit his cheek to keep in the harsh response.

"Here you are Milla, I also included a Mommy ribbon, one for Grandpa and I found this bright pink Auntie ribbon. I think they look just right on the flowers." She spoke quietly but with the energy of someone who delighted in their job and Milla smiled.

"You're right, this is absolutely perfect. How much more do I owe you for the ribbons?" She asked and Rita shook her head.

"The ribbons are on the house, I'm just glad these are what you want." She said as she slid the box with the flowers over the counter and Milla picked it up.

"Thank you so much for this. I'll stop in tomorrow with the lazy susan's and the bluebells. Thanks so much for taking them off my hands." Milla thanked her and Rita got out from behind the counter and walked her to the door.

"No, thank you, it will be nice to have some new flowers in here and bluebells are always welcome. You have a good day and I'll see you later." Rita said and Milla nodded before she walked out, juggling the box ahead of her. When Rita turned she gave her husband a stern look and moved past him to take her position behind the counter again.

"What?" He asked and she continued to give him the stern look.

"I don't know what was happening out here but I know it had something to do with your beef with the Sons of Anarchy. I don't care what your problems are with them but you leave that young woman alone. She's already lost so much and now she's raising the kids of a dead friend and having her second baby. She doesn't need you piling more on her plate. Just promise me that whatever your problem is with the Sons of Anarchy you'll leave Milla Ortiz alone." She gave him a subtle ultimatum.

"Another baby? I didn't know that." He told his wife and suddenly things made more sense. With another baby on the way it made sense that Ortiz wanted out, now Roosevelt understood how much babies complicated things and changed motivations.

"Are you going to promise me?" She asked and he walked around the counter and draped his arms around his wife's middle.

"I promise to back off any further interrogations of Mrs. Ortiz. This isn't a get out of jail free card though." He told her and she nodded.

"Thank you, I hate to think of her being so young with so much stress. She needs something to lessen the weight on her shoulders." She told him and he leaned to kiss her.

"Beautiful and a good heart. How'd I get so lucky?" He smiled and she kissed him back before she shooed him away. She had a business to run after all.

…

Juice took a sip of his coffee as he watched the interaction going on across the street. Clay looked every in the powerful biker president as he spoke to one of Lin's men outside the restaurant. They'd been outside for ten minutes, an obvious powerplay by Lin and Juice had been taking pictures of the exchange, especially when something looking suspiciously like an envelope full of cash was slipped into Clay's hand before he immediately pocketed it. Juice shook his head. Clay was making him out to be the patsy when the old snake was making rookie mistakes. He wouldn't be surprised if Clay was already ten steps ahead and trying to make fools out of them as an added insult to the injury. Then again he could be overconfident in his dealing. Until everything was squared away Juice wouldn't put anything past the old man. As Juice placed his cup back in the holder and began to take video of the meet his phone rang and he pressed the mute button on the camera before he answered.

"Juice here." He greeted, knowing very few people who would have the number of his new burner.

"I need you to cut the surveillance short and head back. I just got some intel I wanna share with you and the others." Jax told him and Juice shut off his camera and turned back to the front.

"You got it." He said before he took off. If Jax had new intel and was ready to share, it had to be good.

…

Jax sat at the table flanked by Bobby, Happy and Chibs while Tig stood at the periphery. It was rather symbolic of the change in the Club and Jax ruminated on this as they waited for Juice to show up. Jax had to admit that Juice had seemed to have done a one-eighty since he discovered the evidence against them. He was finally living up to what his cut promised and Jax was proud and disappointed that this new Juice wouldn't be around to help rebuild the Club but that couldn't be helped. His family needed him more and the decision had been made.

"Where's Juicy at? Milla said she hadn't seen him last night" Chibs asked and Jax looked at him.

"He's doin something for the Club, he's on his way. Don't worry about him, he's good." Jax explained and Chibs nodded before the men in the room went silent again. Before the silence grew unbearable with tension the door to the chapel opened and Juice walked in carrying his camera equipment and Jax sat up straight. "See anything?"

"I've got a lot, he's makin' mistakes." Juice said as he sat at the table and unpacked his equipment while Jax stood up and walked to the side of the room where he had a box filled with evidence stashed. Once he had it he sat and unloaded it and finally Bobby spoke up.

"Who's makin' mistakes? What's goin' on here?" He asked and Jax looked at Juice before he looked at Tig who finally sat at the table and picked up a picture and looked at it before he spoke.

"Juice made a discovery last week that could lead to some very nasty consequences for us. Tell them what's been going on, on your end." He told Juice who nodded.

"Clay has been makin' me take him on trips to the Wahewa land a few times a week for the last couple of weeks and when we go there I load lots of heavy boxes into the van and unload them at his place. Last week I found a scrap of metal in the storage unit and when I picked it up I saw some Chinese writing. It made me suspicious and while Milla kept him distracted at the house I went into the van and found a box with counterfeit plates and printing equipment and another box full of sheets of money. I also found a box filled with surveillance pictures of Jax and me, they showed us talkin' to each other and me at Lin's restaurant, there's also some other pics that don't look too good for us." He explained and Bobby gave Chibs a look as everyone absorbed what he said.

"This alone is circumstantial at best, the pictures make us look bad but I got some more intel this morning that proves without a shadow of a doubt that Clay's working with Lin behind our backs." He told them before he passed pictures out to everyone at the table who studied the picture in front of them and Juice ground his teeth. That son of a bitch...

"When was this taken Jackie?" Chibs asked and Jax picked up his cigarette and drew the smoke into his lungs.

This was taken this mornin', if that's not enough, here's the next in the series." Jax said and watched as everyone took in what was in the picture.

"That's why our shipment was light this month. Shit, you think the Irish know?" Bobby asked and Jax shook his head.

"No, they don't know anything. I put feelers out in Belfast and haven't heard whispers. These pictures were taken by some Niners under Pope's orders so we know they aren't going to screw us over. Now that you've seen this, heard us and seen the rest of the evidence, what do you think?" He asked as he sat back in the chair and waited for the response.

"We need to get some solid confirmation from the Irish, be sure they didn't authorize this. Then we need to arrange a sit down with Lin, check him out, see how he reacts to the questioning. We also need to talk to Clay, see if we can get a confession out of him. We need to go through the channels here, no other way to do it." Bobby explained and Jax nodded.

"Anyone disagree with Bobby's plan?" Jax asked and no one raised their hand so he nodded again.

"Ok, Juice, call Lin's guy's. Set up a meet for tomorrow. Chibs, call Galen and get a meeting for as soon as possible. I'll figure out how to confront Clay. Remember, what was said here today goes no further than this room until the pieces fall into place. You're free to go." Jax said as he dismissed them but Tig stood at the table and looked through the evidence, picking up Juice's camera when the younger man left the room. "Something on your mind Tig?"

"This...it don't feel right man, it feels like somethin's too easy." He said and Jax nodded.

"I know what you mean but Juice and I have contingency plans. No matter what he's doin' he'll be the one takin' the fall." Jax told him and Tig nodded before he walked out of the chapel and left Jax to do his part of the plan.

…

Clay sat in his living room drinking a tumbler of good scotch and smiling to himself. His plan was working like a charm. He'd gotten the equipment he needed sent to Galen and the Irishman had shipped the guns to him instead of the warehouse. The beauty of it all was that Galen didn't know where the guns were going to or the money and equipment was coming from. When Jax finally got wise he'd find a dead end with the Irishman who'd been played as deftly as his stepson. He smirked as he thought about just how big the last shipment had been and remembered how Romeo had talked to him about the lack of AKs instead of Jax. The big players were all on his team and Jax was about to lose the big game. He continued to smile and enjoy basking in his plan, totally unaware of what was awaiting him in the near future.

…  
_Later that night..._

Juice groaned as he walked through the door. The day had been exhausting but now they had a plan of attack and it was worth the stress and anxiety he was feeling at the moment. After the ritual removing of cut and boots Juice turned around and smiled as he saw his wife standing behind him holding a beer and a bag of what he assumed was take out. She smiled back and turned on the light while he sat to eat.

"I figured that since you don't eat too well at the clubhouse I'd have something good ready for you when you got home." She joined him at the table and Juice placed his hand on hers.

"Thanks baby,I haven't eaten all day. I'd hate to see what's been swimmin' around in my body all day with no food to cleanse it." He said and Milla chuckled before she took her hand out from under his. "How're the kids doin?"

"Ellie finally allowed me to pack some of her stuff and helped me pack up the majority of the nursery and Kenny was a trooper. He packed anything he didn't need at his fingertips. Of course the Xbox 360 and your games remain in their new location though. It's finally coming together baby, we're really getting out of here." She said as tears started to roll from her eyes and Juice reached a hand over and caught one with his thumb before he wiped it away.

"Yes we are, we're goin' to Thief River and once my probation ends and I can leave the state we'll make the move to Portland. Those kids are gonna have a good life and I'm not lettin' anyone get in the way of that." He said with feeling and Milla felt her body respond to the tone of his voice and she stopped crying as she looked at him he understood the heat in her eyes.

She stood from her seat as he moved his chair back and waited to see what she would do. He didn't have to wait long. She crossed the short space between them and crawled on his lap before kissing him slowly. While she did that he untied her robe and ran his hands over her body that was getting softer and mre voluptuous by the day. He loved seeing her glow and feeling the new curves her body developed. It took him no time to get hard as he gently squeezed her sensitive breasts and caused her to moan. After a moment he felt his pants shift and before he could react his dick was out of his pants and Milla smirked as she moved on him. He moaned as she started to ride him in the chair. It was fast and furious but it was what they both needed after the day they'd had and afterward Milla rested against him as he kissed her hair and held her. While they rested Milla decided to tell him a bit about her day.

"I had a bit of a fight with Roosevelt today." She told him then continued with her story. "I was at the flower shop getting some flowers for the cemetery and he must've stopped by to see his wife. He gave me shit about us moving and I got angry. I told him to leave us alone and said that he was scum. I may have said something about feeling sorry for his child but it's honestly a blur."

"He seem mad, like he'll give us trouble?" Juice asked and Milla shrugged.

"He had the cop face on so I couldn't say but I think I pissed him off. Just be careful babe, don't do anything to make him target you." Milla told him and he nodded before he kissed her hair again. He'd be seeing Roosevelt before he left, but there were more pressing matters to think about at the moment.

"Baby..." He said softly and Milla sat up and looked at him while he reached a hand up and brushed hair from her face. "There's some shit goin' down. It involves Clay and I want you to keep your distance from him and only come to the clubhouse if I'm with you. I don't trust him and want you to be safe."

"Are you in danger?" Milla asked and Juice felt love for his woman swell his chest. She didn't need to know the whats or the shys, she just needed to know her man was safe.

"I might be. Just promise me you and the kids will stick close to the house and when things go down I'll make sure you're not anywhere where you'll be in the crossfire." He told her and Milla nodded before she draped her arms around his neck and rested her forehead against his.

"I trust you baby and know that you only want what's best for us. Just keep me posted, let me know what you need me to do." She told him before she moved away and climbed off his lap Once they'd straightened up Juice took her hand and kissed it before he let it go and looked up at his wife whose eyes were only for him.

"Go to bed Mills, it's been a long day and you need your rest. I'll be up when I'm done eating." Juice told her and she nodded but before she walked away he grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him. "I love you."

"I love you too Juice, hurry to bed. I need my furnace." She smiled and Juice nodded before she left the kitchen and he turned to his bag. He smiled when he opened it and saw that it was a wrap from his favorite sandwich shop in town. It was all organic and natural and was part of his strict detoxifying regimen. She'd remembered and it heightened his resolve. He was going to end Clay's deception and get his family out of Charming. They deserved a chance for a fresh start and it was his job to secure it for them.


	6. Upheaval

**I own nothing you recognize. All original characters and storylines are my own.**

**Upheaval **

Juice stood next to the guys at the warehouse smoking his cigarette and nervously tapping his fingers against his thigh. He'd be pacing as they waited for the Irish if Jax hadn't growled at him to stop. This meeting was important, it was what they needed to prove Clay's betrayal. They'd tried to set up a meet with Lin but the dodgy slant kept dodging their calls and an impromptu visit to the restaurant. In the Club's mind that proved they had a hand in this. Finishing his cigarette he took another from the pack but as he was about to light it Chibs knocked it from his hands.

"Jesus Christ Chibs! Why the hell'd ya do that?" He asked and Chibs glared at him.

"Pull yerself together Juicy. If ya look like yer fallin apart Galen and 'is boys'll pick up on it, they'll be on edge. Ya calm down now, fer the good o' the Club." Chibs told him sternly and he nodded as he put his lighter in his pocket, taking a moment to run his finger over the raised letters and image on the Zippo's metal case. As he did so he smiled. It had been a gift from his girls, just something they'd surprised him with that morning. One side had the Reaper emblazoned in it's glory with SoA in stark relief and the other was engraved with the kids names and a blank spot ready for when Little Bean made his appearance. He closed his eyes and pictured his family and that was all he needed, he calmed down and knew he could take on the world. When he opened his eyes Chibs gave him a small smile and a nod of his head, he'd done good.

They waited for a few minutes more before they could hear the sound of wheels crunching the gravel. There were the Irish, twenty minutes late and taking their sweet time. Squaring his shoulders Juice followed his brothers as they met Galen and his lackey's at his sleek, black, SUV. The Irishman pulled Jax into a handshake and a hug before he stepped back.

"Good ta see ya Jackson, I wan't expectin' a meeting so soon after the last shipment." He said before his keen eyes surveyed the group of Sons that followed Jax. "Where's Clay? Shouldn't he be here?"

"There are reason's he's not here that would be better discussed in the warehouse." Jax said and Galen nodded before he sent two of his guys to the warehouse for a sweep. Ja didn't say anything. If a quick once over eased the Irishman's mind there was no reason to start something. After the men came back and nodded discreetly to Galen he nodded to Jax and they went into the warehouse where a makeshift conference table had been set up. Jax took his seat at the head and waited until everyone else was seated before he gave the silent call to order.

"What's goin' on here Jackson? Why do I feel like I'm on trial?" Galen asked and Jax Lit a cigarette from his pack before he spoke.

"You're here to confirm a rumor that proves we're being betrayed by one of our own. We need to know with certainty that you've been delivering separate shipments to Clay. Making our shipments light." Jax told him and Galen stared at him.

"You're jokin' aren't ya boy? Clay said the guns were goin to him to dodge some feds, said it was a Club decision. We were given compensation too." Galen said and Jax nodded as he took another drag.

"You were given counterfeit plates and printing equipment. Our Intel Officer got that info for us. For the record, this wasn't a Club decision and as far as the Sons are concerned the True IRA fucked us over. We can't trust you." Jax said and Galen set his mouth in a firm line.

"What can we do to prove we didn' fuck you over?" Galen asked and Jax smiled a grim smile.

"For a start you get every piece of information on this deal to our Intelligence Officer by the end of the day. Every scrap of paper, every text message, everything's important. Dig through the trash if you have to. The next thing we want you to do is keep silent about this. Only talk to the Kings about it and if Clay contacts you act like everything's normal, maybe find a way to record the conversation. Like I said, we need everything." Jax told him as he stubbed out his cigarette. "Do this and we might be willing to get into business with the True IRA again."

"We'll get what you need Jackson. We like being used just as little as you do I'd suspect." Galen said with a firmness that brought a smirking smile to the young President's mouth.

"Just make sure we get what we need." Jax said before he stood up then motioned to Juice. "Give them your contact info and set up a meet to get the papers then head to the clubhouse."

"You got it." Juice said before he got up and walked to the Irishman. He had a job to do and he was going to do it.

…  
_Later that afternoon..._

"I don't know what's happening Clay but word is that the Irish aren't happy. Rumor has it that you've been double dealing. Any truth to that?" Romeo asked as Clay ground his teeth and glared ahead. He should've known that a call from the Mexican wouldn't be a good thing.

"Of course not, we've been dealin' with the Irish for over twenty years." He said once he could see clearly again. If Jax had went to Galen and found some proof it was looking bad for him.

"According to our sources there was a meeting with the Irish this morning in the warehouse. You weren't there." As Romeo informed him Clay felt a chill go down his back. He expected Jax to call Galen and discuss the guns, he never thought he'd actually meet with the man. Another thought caused the chill to sink into his bones. If he called a meeting that meant that he had evidence that Clay had been double dealing the Club and the Irish.

"I was at the doctor this morning. I can't always make it." He lied smoothly.

"That's good to know Clay. Call me when you get news on the new shipment." Romeo told him before he hung up and the tone of his voice was unmistakable, he knew Clay was lying.

As he started running through his backup plans and stories in his head he heard a noise outside and looked out the window. He narrowed his eyes when he saw the car parked across the street, the young black man in the driver's seat sticking out like a sore thumb. As he thought back he remembered seeing a few cars parked in front over the week, all of them junkers and all of them a nondescript color.

"Shit!" He yelled as he swung his large hand and it collided with the picture frame on his table. He took a deep breath for a second before he turned and picked up the picture. The picture was of Milla and Juice's wedding day. They were standing in front of the Reaper surrounded by Sons and family. As he looked at his daughter's face he came to a realization.

Moving quickly he went to the garage and put on his helmet before he started his bike and walked it out. His hands were sore and riding excruciating but he didn't have far to go. He didn't have any options left.

…

"Yeah." Jax spoke into the phone as Juice walked up to him. "You get everything?"

"Yes I did." Juice answered as he handed the folders and print outs to his brother in law.

"Shit, he covered his tracks well." Jax said to himself as Juice nodded.

"Not well enough. I highlighted the really incriminating message." Juice said as Jax read the doc and shook his head.

"He was too damned cocky." Jax looked up at Juice. "Call the Brothers then get Clay. We have a vote to take."

Juice nodded as he walked out and flipped open his burner and Bobby walked in. Bobby gave Jax one look and it was enough, Clay had finally done something too big to forgive and too obvious to hide. He'd pay for this, either with his Patch or his life.

Juice called everyone who wasn't already in the clubhouse before he got in the tow truck and started the drive to Clay's. As he drove he felt his stomach twist into knots. Everything was going to happen and if Jax had anything to say about it it would all happen by the end of the night. He drove the route he now knew by heart but almost missed the driveway when a black man in Niner colors stopped him. Juice rolled down his window as he pulled off to the side. He also picked up his gun, just in case.

"Yo man, you lookin' for the old dude?" The banger asked and Juice nodded. "He tore outta here about twenty minutes ago. Andre followed him and left me here to keep watch."

"How did he look when he tore out?" Juice asked, not even bothering to ask the thug how he knew to flag him down.

"He looked pissed off man. Like he was gonna pop a cap or somethin'." The man told him and suddenly Juice felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He'd only felt that way once before and he'd almost lost his wife and child.

"Thanks." Juice nodded quickly then pulled out, determined to go home, hoping to see that his new fear was unfounded. just to check he took out his cell and punched Milla's number. The rings seemed to take forever but eventually she answered and he could hear her breathing shallow breaths,

"Hey baby, I have a visitor. Call back later." She said softly and he could here the thickness of tears in her voice. "I love you."

After her confession of love the phone clicked and he cursed. Now he had to rush to the house double time. He just hoped there was a different explanation for the phone call.

...

"I'll be right there!" Milla called out as she finished putting Espy's coat on and brushed back her hair. "Tara, can you put the clip in her hair?"

"Yeah, no problem." Tara smiled at her before she gently put the clip in her niece's dark curls. She was going to miss the little girl when the time came and her Mama. The only time she could find any peace lately was with her sister-in-law. When Tara was with her she was just "Tara" or occasionally "Sis", not an old lady or the new queen and she appreciated it.

Milla walked to the door, all smiles since she'd planned this day with Tara and the kids. Ellie and Kenny were in school but they were going to pick them up and have dinner at Stumpy's followed by crafts for the older kids and stories for the little ones. It was going to be bittersweet since it would be the last time they could have a night like this for a long while. Milla's smile continued to stretch her face until she looked through the door's peephole. When she saw who was standing there she frowned. She'd heard a bike but there was no way he'd have ridden there. It was too far. Even so she opened the door, she'd just be telling him to leave anyway.

"Hey Dad, what's up?" She asked and Clay unceremoniously moved her back before she could protest and walked through the door.

"I need to talk to ya, in private." He told her before he eyed Tara who had Thomas in his seat and Espy by the hand with Abel standing in front of her. "Tara."

"Clay." She said coldly and Espy moved toward him and lifted her chubby little arms.

"Not now Little Angel, I've gotta talk to your Mama." He told her but leaned down to tousle her curly hair. While he did that Milla looked at Tara and they shared a silent communication. This felt off, really off and they were now very concerned. "Come on."

He stood and motioned for Milla to join him. Ever the obedient daddy's girl she did but she briefly touched Tara's hand as she passed and the other woman understood. Milla was scared and she wasn't going anywhere until she figured out what this was about. As Tara slid her hand into her pocket and touched her burner Clay brought Milla into the kitchen and leaned against the counter while she stood uncertainly in the doorway. He saw the way her hands flexed and knew she was nervous. He'd have to act fast before she got her phone and sent an emergency text.

"Come here." He told her and she walked slowly over to him, her heart beating in her chest. There was something in his eyes that scared her half to death. It was a wild gleam, a mad gleam and it made her swallow thickly.

"What do you need Dad? Tara and I are taking the kids out for a fun day. I could make you some lunch before we head out." She told him, the tremor in her voice and wet sheen to her eyes betraying her fear. Clay felt a fleeting moment of disgust with himself before he remembered what he was doing and why. "We have some leftover pizza from last night or I could make you a sandwich. We have everything for a roast beef, I know you like roast beef."

Her voice went slightly high and Clay quickly looked from her to the doorway. He was expecting Tara to butt in like always but she wasn't there. While he was distracted Milla's eyes drifted to the breadbox. If she could just get there...

"I said we need to talk so we're going to talk." Clay said and Milla's head snapped back to him and she squeaked as she saw the gun in his hand. "I never thought I'd do this Angel, never thought I could do this but I'm backed in a corner and you're gonna help me out of it. Go, tell the doctor gash to take the kids and head out. Say you'll meet them somewhere. I'll be behind ya the whole time."

Milla swallowed and nodded dumbly as she went toward the doorway and to make sure she didn't do anything stupid Clay gently pressed the barrel of the gun against her back, causing her to flinch. Still she calmly walked to the doorway and managed a big fake smile to put the kids at ease, even if Tara wouldn't buy it.

"Milla?" Tara asked as she looked at her sister in law's face then glanced at Clay's. Something was wrong, really wrong.

"Listen, Tara, can you...can you take the kids without me. I need to talk to my Dad for awhile. I know it's a lot to ask, but this is important." Milla asked with fake cheerfulness and Tara nodded.

"Ok, I just need help getting them into the van." Tara said, her eyes conveying a message to Milla, the message was to run as soon as they were outside.

"Naw, you take the older kids first. Milla and I will watch Thomas while you buckle them in." Clay said and he put a little more pressure on the gun's barrel.

"I don't want to leave any of the kids alone. Bad things can happen." Tara said pointedly and Clay gave her a wide and macabre smile.

"Not in this neighborhood." He told her and Milla stood pleading with her eyes.

"Abel, Espy, you guys walk ahead of me alright. I'll carry Thomas." She told them as Clay nodded. Both of the children walked to the door and Milla looked at her father, whose face was now alien to her and he nodded curtly before she crossed the room and took her daughter in her arms.

"Mama loves you baby. Never forget that Mama loves you more than anything in the world ok?" She asked and Espy just gave her a kiss. "Auntie Tara will you bring her to see her Daddy please?"

Milla asked the last in a whisper and Tara nodded before Milla set down her daughter with a kiss, and passed one over to abel before she stood and kissed Tara's cheek. Once the goodbyes were doled out she opened the door and stood watching as Tara put the kids in the van. In a panicked moment she thought she could run for it but the presence of her father behind her and the light pressure of the gun kept her rooted to the spot. As Tara got in the van and looked to the porch Clay leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Wave goodbye, then close the door." He told her coldly and she did as she was commanded. Once the door was shut he pressed the barrel into her back again. "Let's go to the kitchen, we have a lot to talk about."

…

Tara sped through the streets on her way to the clubhouse. Milla's message was unmistakable and she could tell from the younger woman's posture and Clay's movements that he had something pressed to her back, most likely a gun. As the thought came to her so did the questions. Why would Clay do that to Milla? Milla was his Angel, his babygirl. She was his number one supporter and he loved her as much as he'd ever loved anyone. Also, why would he take her and not Tara, surely Tara would be worth more to him. She was Jax's wife, the new queen. Her death would unravel Jax and make a takeover easy. She thought on it and breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the familiar gate. Once she was in and parked, Phil and Rat came to the van.

"Is everything ok Tara?" Phil asked and she quickly shook her head,

"I need to talk to Jax, it's an emergency. Would you mind taking the kids to the swingset while I talk to him?" She asked and Phil nodded.

"Sure, you need my help with anything?" He asked and briefly Tara considered yelling at the big man but thought better of it. He was a sweet guy and just wanted to help a clearly distressed woman.

"I just need you and Ratboy to take care of the kids. Please?" She asked and Phil just nodded.

"You got it." He told her and she nodded before she walked to the clubhouse, relieved when she heard Espy's giggle and a growl from Abel as she pushed open the door.

She practically ran in but stopped herself when she saw Jax sitting at the bar with Tig and Bobby. He turned around in the stool and his eyes widened when they met hers, her fear reflecting back in his.

"What is it Tara? What happened?" He asked as he stood and was flanked by Chibs and Bobby.

"It's Milla, Clay's with her and she's in danger." She told him as she held in a sob. The reality of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks and the look on the men's faces solved a piece of the puzzle for her. Now she knew why Clay chose Milla as his hostage.

…

"Want some coffee? I just got this new french roast that's strong and bitter. I also made some shortbread that would go great with it. I could also get you a beer, mayb-"

"Shut up!" Clay yelled before he ran hand over his face. "I'm sorry babygirl, I'm just wound up tight. I don't want coffee, I just want us to sit here and talk for awhile."

"Talk about what?" She asked before she bit her tongue, not wanting to anger him further. One of her top rules in life was to never piss off anyone with a gun, especially if the gun was pointed at her.

"First, I really am sorry I'm doing this Angel. I just had no choice. You see, I've made lots of mistakes in my life and they're finally comin' back to bite me in the ass. I knew I'd been too lucky for too damn long. I shoulda' realized sooner just how deep I was gettin'." He told her and saw the fear in her eyes. The part of him that was still her father cringed at the sight. "I need you to get out of this in one piece. I need to get outta Charming and safe. I can only do that with your help."

"What did you do Daddy? Why do you need me?" She asked her big chocolate eyes wide and he sighed as he rubbed a sore hand over his face.

"I got too cocky Angel, I thought I could get the gavel back, get your Ma back. It backfired, now the Club knows what I did and I know they're gunnin' for me. I need you to come with me, get outta Charming, then I'll let you go once I've got a plan. I need you for this." He told her as the first tear slipped down her cheek.

"Why me, why not Tara?" She asked and he chuckled.

"You're so smart but you're clueless. If I take Tara that just gets Jax riled. He'll go out of his way to stop me and I won't get out. I take you and I've got SAMCRO and every Charter from here to Canada standing down. No one's gonna risk hurting you Angel, you've spent your life becoming everyone's little girl, making everyone love ya." He told her and Milla wiped her eyes and chuckled bitterly.

"Not everyone, if you loved me you wouldn't do this, wouldn't put me in harm's way." She told him and looked him dead in the eyes with eyes flashing anger. "I'm pregnant you bastard! If any harm comes to my baby-"

"I'm not gonna hurt you if I don't have to. Just don't do anything stupid to make me have to pull this trigger. I love you Milla, probably the only one I still give a shit about but I will do_ anything_ to get out of Charming and you know what they say. You always hurt the ones you love the most." He told her with a grin and watched as she jumped. "What's wrong with you?"

"My phone, it's vibrating." She told him in a small voice and he looked at her.

"Toss it here." He commanded and she did as she was told. His grin turned to a smirk when he saw who it was. "It's hubby, tell him to call back later."

He slid the phone across the table and she took it in shaking hands. When she hit the button it took all of her self control not to start sobbing as she told Juice what her father wanted her to say but hung up before he could speak. She knew hearing his voice would be what pushed her over the edge into hysteria.

…

Juice pulled onto his street and would've sworn that he took the corner on two wheels. He approached his house and felt the blood drain from his face. Parked in his driveway were bikes his Brothers' bikes and the men had congregated near the back of the house en masse. He barely put the truck in park before he threw open the door and rushed out. He tried to bypass the group and go to the door when Chibs and Tig caught him.

"Hold it there Juicy, it's not safe right now." Chibs told him and he stared at the Scotsman with crazed eyes. Chibs had been the one to call him and confirm his worst fears and now he was regretting that action. It seemed to have caused Juice to go over the deep end.

"He's got my fucking wife in there!" He shouted and Jax came up to him.. "Where the hell's Esperanza?"

"She's with Tara and Chantal at the clubhouse. Don't worry, she and the boys are safe. I need you to calm down and think of places we could get into the house without being noticed." He told Juice and Juice nodded, his eyes starting to go back to normal.

"The side of the house, Ellie's bedroom. It's far enough from the kitchen." He said and Jax nodded before he suddenly shouted. "Fuck! No, her window's locked. She made Milla lock it last night after she saw a scary tv show. Shit!"

As Juice yelled he fought against the men again but they held him and refused to let go. While he fought Bobby walked up to them, a cell phone at his ear. He looked from Jax to Juice then sighed.

"I'll tell 'em, just don't hang up." Bobby spoke into the phone before he cursed and looked at the men in front of him. "That was Clay. He wants a new car with a full tank, something that runs. He wants Juice to go to his house and pry open the loose floorboard in his bedroom, says there's about a hundred K in there that he's been hoarding. Once those demands are met he's gonna lead Milla out and if we try anything he's gonna shoot."

After Bobby finished Chibs and Tig tightened their hold on Juice but were surprised when he stilled. As they looked in his eyes they saw the craziness was gone and replaced with a cold, hard look. It was a look they never expected to see on the young man's face. The voice that came out of his mouth chilled them to the bone.

"If he hurts my wife or my baby I'm going to kill him." He said it with a finality that had every man present nodding their heads while Tig and Chibs released him. Once he was free he seemed to shake himself out of a daze then looked at Jax and Bobby. "Is she ok?"

"She's fine, just scared. We're doin' everything we can Juice." Jax assured him and he nodded.

"Get one of the Prospects to go to the house. There's no way in hell I'm leaving." Juice said as he moved his eyes to the house, his expression unreadable.

…

"Juicy just got here." Clay said as he looked out the window. I guess it's time to call the fat man with my demands. Go make some coffee. We might be here awhile."

Milla did as she was told and listened to the conversation Clay was having with Bobby. She couldn't bear to think of him as her father anymore or her daddy. No, daddy's didn't do this to their children. A parent risked their life to protect their child's, they didn't use their child's life as a bargaining chip. As the thought entered her mind she placed her hand on her stomach where her child was growing. Little Bean, Esperanza, Ellie and Kenny were the reason she followed along with everything Clay was doing. She wouldn't get reckless, she wouldn't try to be the hero because she was sure that would set him off. The last thing she wanted was for him to hurt her and take her baby away or take her away from her babies. Once the coffee began percolating Milla went to the cabinet and took out a mug for Clay then brought it to the table with the condiment carousel. As she set them down she noticed that the silverware was missing so she went to the drawer while Clay continued to speak on the phone, this time his tone had changed and it was obvious he was talking to someone else. She opened the drawer and took out the required silverware but something drew her eyes upward and she sucked in a breath as she sw the breadbox. She looked back and saw that Clay was still distracted so she quickly reached behind the breadbox and grabbed what was concealed there and as she slipped it into the waistband of her jeans she closed the drawer and turned to the table. Now she had a chance. She just hope all of Otto's lesson's would pay off if it came to it.

…

Clay stood at the window, glancing out as he kept his gun trained on his daughter. Part of him hated what he was doing and hated himself for it but that part of overruled by the part that wanted to live. He watched Milla pour him a cup of coffee before she sat down and folded her hands in front of her. He found himself smiling, it was a sign that she was thinking hard about something. Gemma and Jax did the same thing and he remembered that Thomas used to do it too. Milla may have had more Morrow traits but there were parts of her that were pure Gemma. He guessed those were the parts he loved most. Speaking of the devil he looked out again when he heard a vehicle pull up and he watched his wife practically jump out of the passenger's seat of a big truck before her Latin lover got out the other side. As he watched her he felt rage and loathing and knew he had to do something.

"Milla." He spoke her name as she jumped and she answered back without even looking at him.

"What Clay?" She asked and he felt a sharp jab in his chest at her refusal to call him dad.

"Come 'ere, we're goin' outside for a minute." He told her as she stood and he moved behind her as she walked to the door and he opened the door as he walked her onto the porch. Suddenly, there was movement as Juice and Gemma began to walk toward them and Clay shook his head. "I wouldn't do that if I was you."

"Jesus Christ Clay!" Gemma practically shouted. "She's your damn daughter, let her go. If you need a hostage take me."

Clay snorted and used the gun to move Milla forward.

"You? Why the fuck would I do that? No one cares about an old, used and abused gash like you. I wouldn't make it out of the city limits." He told her and reveled in the hopelessness in her eyes before he turned to Bobby and Jax. "You get my car yet? Why isn't Juice goin' to get my money?"

"We're workin' on it and Rat's got your money. Why don't you let Milla go. You have our word that you'll get out alive. We'll give you a day's head start." Jax tried to negotiate and Clay put a large hand on Milla's shoulder.

"You think I believe anything that comes outta your mouth? Call me when my demands have been met." He told them before he backed into the house, pulling Milla in front of him as a shield.

During the exchange Milla had kept her eyes trained on Juice and tried to convey everything she was feeling at that moment to him. She was scared, she was angry, she was bitterly disappointed but, overall, she loved him and had faith in him. He'd get her out of this, she trusted him implicitly.

…

Juice stood with Hap at the side of the house as the other man took the step ladder they'd gotten from the garage and climbed it to study the windows. After Clay's little show they'd come to the realization that the only thing they could do was go for the surprise attack. For that to happen they needed to find the best entry point and get through silently, thus Juice and Hap were the right team for the task.

"Hand me your knife." Happy told him and Juice got it for him without question. He'd do anything Hap said as long as it got him in the house and got his wife out.

While Juice watched Happy jimmied the knife under the frame and managed to move the lock out of it's position before he handed the knife to Juice and slowly opened the window. Juice felt adrenaline start to course through him as the window was opened and Hap looked back at him with a nod before the taller man climbed through the window and once he was inside Juice followed suit. As Juice climbed through he almost stumbled but Hap caught him and shook his head before he nodded toward the door and Juice nodded quickly before the enforcer started to the door as Juice followed. It may have been his house but his emotions were going crazy and he didn't trust himself on point. Milla didn't need him rushing in and playing the hero.

…

Milla sat across the table from Clay studying the grain in the wood. They hadn't spoken since he brought her back in the house and she was grateful for the silence. His voice made her sick now and she didn't feel like throwing up. The silence was interrupted by what sounded like the scuff of boots and Milla looked up and was surprised to see Clay just sitting there, his eyes far off. He hadn't heard it! She felt giddy, they were going to save her. There was another scuff and this time Clay heard and sprung up faster than a man in his condition should have and had his gun trained on Milla as Hap and Juice appeared in the doorway, guns drawn.

"Put the gun down Clay." Juice said, his voice strong as he ordered the older man, his eyes sliding to his wife briefly.

"You know I can't do that Juicy. You stand down and I won't be forced to do something we'll all regret." He said as he turned his head to Milla for emphasis. "Put down your gun son. You too Hap."

"Not gonna happen." Hap said and Clay glared at the intimidating man.

"You heard him Clay, we're not putting our guns down." Juice said andmoved a step forward which caused Clay to point the gun at him reflexively.

When Milla saw Clay zero in on Juice all sense of self preservation left her and her fear took over. She wasn't going to lose him, not after everything they'd been through. She got out of her chair and threw herself at Clay who stumbled a bit but pushed her roughly to the ground. She collided with the counter painfully before she slid along it and landed on the ground and held her stomach. She was hurt she didn't know how badly.

"You son of a bitch!" Juice yelled as he started to lunge toward Clay who moved the gun to Milla again.

"Think about what you're doin' Juicy." He said as he inched toward Milla and the silence that followed was deafening until a small click was heard.

"Think about what you're doing Clay." All eyes turned to the floor where Milla had landed and stared at the tiny woman with the gun in her hand, aimed at Clay's head. "Put down the gun and let Juice and Hap take you. You have a lot of shit to answer for."

"I'm not goin' anywhere." Clay said as Milla's arm started to shake. "You can't even hold that gun sweetheart."

Milla didn't answer and Clay stopped and looked at the two men who had inched into the room. Suddenly there was movement then it was like everything was in slow motion. Juice leapt at Clay while Hap covered him and Clay pointed his gun toward Juice as two shots rang out and both men fell but Juice got up and Clay groaned from his place on the floor as blood began to soak the cloth of his shirt from the hole in his side. Juice practically jumped him as he went to his wife who was staring wide eyed at the man in front of her and she shivvered as Juice took her in his arms.

"It's ok baby, you're safe." He said quietly as he kissed her head and rocked her while Happy moved to Clay and nudged him before he looked at Milla and the corners of his mouth turned up.

"Nice shot kid." He said before all noise was drowned by the sound of people rushing into the house. Jax scanned the kitchen and his eyes moved from Clay's groaning form to his sister who was in her husband's arms while she clutched a gun white-knuckled.

"Who did this?" He asked and Juice looked at him.

"Milla did it, she saved my life." He said and Jax nodded before they made quick work of getting Clay out of the house. Bobby hung back and looked at Juice, a proud look on his face.

"Want me to proxy your vote?" He asked and Juice shook his head.

"No, I'm gonna be there. Get Gemma, I'm not leaving Milla alone." He told the big man who nodded and a few moments later Gemma came through the door and nodded. "I need you to watch her until I get back. She's in shock."

"Of course." She said before she knelt in front of her babygirl and gently removed the gun from her hands. That seemed to wake her up and when Juice released her she practically jumped into her mother's arms. "Go on, I've got this."

Juice nodded before he ran a hand over Milla's hair then left the house. This vote was important and he'd be damned if he was going to miss it and as long as Milla was in good hands he knew he was doing the right thing.

…

_Later that night..._

Juice held Milla as she cried. She'd been doing it off and on all night and he couldn't blame her, her world had been turned upside down and the man that was supposed to be her father had betrayed her. She was entitled to some tears.

"I'm sorry." She whispered quietly and Juice pushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"You have nothing to be sorry about babe." He told her and she moved out of his arms and rolled so her back was to him.

"Yes I do, I shouldn't be breaking down like this. I'm alive, you're alive, the kids are all good and Clay's been taken care of. I should be fine." She said and Juice moved behind her and spooned her, being careful not to press on the bruise that covered her side.

"You shot your dad today, that's got to mess with your head." He said and a new wave of tears came to her eyes.

"He's not my dad, he's nothing." She said as she tried to convince herself of that fact and Juice kissed her temple.

"Just sleep, we'll talk in the morning." He told her and rubbed her stomach until she stilled and her breathing became normal then he closed his eyes and let himself fall asleep.

* * *

…

* * *

**Author's Note:** I hope you all liked this chapter. I spent a lot of time working this out in my head before I committed it to my browser. I know it's long but this was tying up loose ends and the next chapter is the last. I want to thank you all for reading and reviewing. It means so much to me.


	7. Denouement

**I own nothing you recognize. Only original characters and storylines are my own.**

**Denouement**

Milla stood outside the room in St. Thomas watching the man in the bed. Her emotions were all over the place. She felt pity, anger, sadness but above all she felt a bitter loathing. This man had been her pillar, her rock, her everything when she was a child. She'd been a daddy's girl through and through. She'd had faith in him when others had written him off and stood by him as others abandoned him and this is how he repaid her loyalty. She glared into the room and noticed that he was starting to move around, his movements limited by the fact that his arm was secured to the rail and he was lying on his stomach. She was angry with herself for the stubborn bit of love that still clung in her heart. She loved the evil old bastard, even as she loathed and pitied him. It would have been so much better to hate him.

"Would you like to go in and see him?" A voice spoke at her side and she jumped, she'd been so deep in her own head that she hadn't noticed the other woman stand next to her. "I can tell you have a lot on your mind."

"I don't know if seeing him is wise Mrs. Murphy. We had a severe falling out today and the pain is still raw." Milla told the woman who had been so helpful to her over the last year.

"I understand, no one hurts you like family." She said before she place a comforting hand on Milla's arm. "If you change your mind there are gowns, caps and masks by the door. We're treating his wound like a severe burn."

"Thank you again Mrs. Murphy." Milla told her and Margaret nodded before she left. She could tell that the young woman needed time to herself, time to think.

Milla stood there, feeling sudden flares of emotion that were almost immediately quelled by the numbness she'd grown accustomed to over the years. She knew it would be best for her to face him, to make the break clean but a smaller, more vicious, part of her brain wanted him to suffer for what he put her through. As it flashed through her mind her choice was made. He was a monster but she wasn't, she was better than him and she'd show him just how much. She moved to the small alcove and immediately put on a sterile gown, followed by the cap and booties and finally put the mask over her mouth. She'd follow the protocol if it meant the final confrontation. When she opened the door she heard a noise from the bed and looked over to see Clay looking blearily over at her. She hoped he wasn't too doped up because she had important things to say and she wouldn't say them again.

"Who- Angel?" He asked and Milla removed her mask and sat by the bed. "Why-"

He started to speak but was unable to and Milla looked him over. She cringed when she saw the damage up close. Hap had been at the height of his game as he flensed the skin from his arm, taken every bit of ink from the elbow down. She could see his muscles twitching beneath the thick layer of antibiotic gauze. His back was so much worse. According to Juice, Hap and Tig had worked in tandem to get every scrap of skin excised from his back and they been more skillful than surgeons. There was no doubt he'd heal cleanly but his body would take longer to heal, especially since her shot had resulted in him losing over half of one of his lungs and damaging a portion of the other. He'd never ride again and he'd be lucky if he could even walk. She looked into his eyes and felt pity and disappointment mar her face, part of her knew just how hurt he was and she felt tears in her eyes as she felt herself let go. She forgave him, he was a broken man with nothing left. It would be cruel to leave him with her hate and if there was one thing Milla was not it was cruel.

"I came here to say goodbye. I'm leaving in a week and I never plan on seeing you again. If, by some unlucky chance, I see you on the street I'll cross it and walk on the other side. If you call me I'll hang up and block your number and if you write me I'll burn it. You are no longer a part of my life and my children will never know you. You'll be as dead to us as you are to the Sons." She said and watched a tear fall from his stormy blue eye. "I'm not doing this because I hate you. Lord help me, but I still care about you and it hurts me to see you reduced to this."

She watched him as he tried to formulate words, the tears pouring down his face in a steady stream. She grabbed a tissue from the table by his bed and wiped a tear away. The tender gesture causing him to break down further so she moved back in her seat and continued to look at him, her innate compassion bringing warmth to her face.

"I forgive you Clay, for the pain you caused me and the damage you've done. I won't bring my baby into this world with hate in my heart and I feel none for you. I truly hope that you heal and find some peace." She got up and kissed his weathered cheek before she left the room. As soon as she stepped out the door she felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she took a deep breath. she could move on with her life, she could move past this.

…

_Six months later..._

"Hey..." Milla whispered sleepily from her hospital bed. Juice smiled as he held his newest child in his arms, loving the fact that he could.

"You need to rest, I've got the baby and Chantal got here about an hour ago she's watching the kids." He told her before he leaned down and kissed her gently. "I'm so proud of you baby."

"We need to figure out a name." She told him as she began to wake up. The truth was that she already had a name that she loved and she wanted him to love it too. "We thought we were prepared for everything, but this was something we weren't expecting."

"Can't say I'm disappointed." He said as he kissed the baby's head. "What name were you thinkin'?"

"Anna Lu, I want to honor Lu's memory." She told him as he nodded.

"You hear that sweetheart, you're Anna Lu, named after one of the greatest ladies ever." He told her as Milla smiled tiredly. She was exhausted and she was starting to come down from the epidurals. She'd almost forgotten how bad her stomach hurt after her c-section with Espy. Now she was getting a rather vivid reminder.

"You talk to Bruce?" Milla asked and Juice frowned but nodded.

"Yeah, he needs me for the run. I'm sorry baby." He told her and she shook her head.

"Don't be, the Club needs you and Bruce would be lost without you. Just...stay as long as you can, please?" She requested and he leaned down to kiss her again.

"No problem babe." He told her then watched as her eyes drifted closed again. While she slept he looked into the face of his youngest child and felt his eyes mist up. She was so beautiful. She was pale like Milla and had her nose and ears. He chuckled when he remembered the conversation they'd had years ago about how she didn't want their kids to have his ears. It looked like she got her wish, both kids had their mama's perfect shell ears. He kissed his daughter's head and felt a tear fall. He'd done some terrible things in his life but bringing his two perfect angels into the world wasn't one of them.

…

Milla woke up with a start. Her dream had been a very bad one and when she saw the darkness of the room she freaked out. As she tried to sit up she heard footsteps and got even more scared.

"Hey, calm down baby, you're not alone." Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she felt relief flood her. Her mom was there and it looked like she had Anna in her arms.

"Mom..." Milla said quietly and Gemma sat gently on the bed and reached a hand over to push some sweat dampened hair off of Milla's face.

"You didn't think I'd miss this, did you?" She asked and Milla shook her head. "Juice had to go on the run, he said not to wake you up."

"You listened?" Milla asked and Gemma chuckled before she leaned over to kiss Milla's head.

"Maybe I'm mellowing in my old age." She said and Milla smiled before she reached over to the button that turned on the lights above the bed.

"You're not old. It's the farm that's changed you. How's the new family?" Milla asked and Gemma smiled.

"It's good to be needed, loved... I thought I'd die without the Club but, shit. I'm sounding like a pussy." Gemma laughed as Milla smiled at her and reached out a hand.

"No, you sound happy. Is Nero with you?" She asked her mother and Gemma nodded.

"Yeah, he's looking forward to seeing the baby." She said before she looked down at her youngest grandchild. "Anna Lu, huh? It's a good name, a strong one. The next one better have Gemma in their somewhere, even if it's a boy."

"I don't think Juice would be too happy about that." Milla laughed lightly before she moved her bed into position. "How long are you staying in Thief River?"

"A few days. I wanna spend as much time with you and all of my grandbabies as I can. Nero has to go back to Diosa Norte tomorrow but he'll be back to visit. Jax will stop by in a few days, with Tara and the boys." She explained and Milla smiled.

"Good, I've missed them." Milla's smile faltered when she tried to think of a good way to phrase her next question. "Have you...do you know how he is?"

Gemma sighed then looked at her babygirl. She'd cut him out of her life and her children's lives completely but he still had a hold on her and Gemma hurt for her.

"He's living in an assisted living facility in Lodi. One of those state run joints. Lost full use of his one lung but he's still holding on. The old bastard won't go down for the count. Phil goes to visit him every week. I think it's Jax's way to keep reminding him of what he lost." She explained and Milla swallowed thickly. She hated herself for caring but she couldn't turn it off. She was saved from speaking by Anna's angry, hungry cry.

"Feeding time, can you help me situate her Ma?" Milla asked and Gemma nodded as she handed her granddaughter over.

While Milla fed her daughter she studied her mother. Six months had changed her mother, it was subtle but it was there. She was still manipulative, tough and kept almost everyone at a distance but there was something softer about her. She was learning to let people in, trust more and Nero was responsible. Nero had saved her mother from herself and Milla was grateful because this Gemma was worth loving.

"Thank you for being here Ma." Milla said as Gemma smiled at her then smiled down at her grandbaby.

"Nowhere else I'd be darlin'."

…

_One year later..._

Milla walked into the shop and grinned. The place was a technological haven. There were diagnostic setups around the room and the desk that Juice used for quick jobs was clean and free of clutter. It was the perfect place for her man and she couldn't have been prouder of him for pulling it off.

When Juice had told her that he wanted his own computer repair business she'd been skeptical. Businesses were hard to get off the ground and Juice didn't have the business training. He had the raw talent and ability but he didn't have the professional IT training to make a name for himself. She always supported him but this idea had seemed like it would end in failure and disappointment but he'd proven her wrong. Ortiz Digital Services and Computer Repair was beyond successful. An aggressive word of mouth campaign and viral marketing scheme concocted by Juice were responsible for the success along with Juice's success rate. In the three months that the business had been open the list of services provided had grown and Juice had even hired help to assist him when he had Club business so he wouldn't lose the revenue. It was wonderful and helped Jax get closer to his dream of a legit Club. With ODS and Diosa Norte the Club was pulling in a steady stream of legit business and Milla was so proud of her husband for making it happen for Thief River. As she walked toward the back the door opened and Juice walked out, grinning when he saw her carrying Anna Lu.

"Hey you." He walked up and kissed Milla before he kissed his daughter's head. "What's up babe?"

"I was taking Anna to her one year checkup and wanted to stop by. We missed you." She smiled at her husband who chuckled.

"I think you were just bored. Come on, I'll send Charlie out then we can have lunch. I ordered Chinese from across the street." He put an arm around her before they walked to the back as she grinned. She never thought their life together would be so "normal" especially after everything that happened but karma had rewarded her and they were living happily and peacefully for the first time in a long time. It was far different from the pain and chaos that filled their lives for those awful years. She could almost fool herself into believing it would always be like this. She wished it could always be like this.

…

_Five years later..._

The priest's voice sounded like cicadas buzzing in her ears. She knew he was saying beautiful things, things about heaven and eternity, things that should have given her comfort. Instead she felt like the space where her heart should be was a black hole, sucking out all love and joy and replacing it with a bitter cold. She never wanted to be in this position, she'd hoped to go first but it didn't happen that way. No, she'd lost him and she'd have to live the rest of her life without the other half of her soul.

"Mrs. Ortiz, would like to say a few words. Please come up now." Her head snapped up as she looked at the priest and she swallowed before she moved Espy off her lap and stood. Once Espy was sitting in her vacant seat she walked up and looked down at the casket made of dark wood emblazoned with the reaper.

"Juan Carlos Ortiz, or as we all knew him, Juice was the greatest man I've ever known. He was strong, smart, funny and determined. In fact he was far smarter than anyone gave him credit for but was too modest to show that intelligence off. He was the love of my life and I was his, we formed the backbone to a strong family that grew stronger in the love he shared. As a father he gave our children love, acceptance and protection. Our family didn't have anything to fear with him at the helm. As a husband he was my lover, my friend and my confidante. He made my life complete and was truly my other half. I have no idea how I'll go on without him but I know I can because he'll be with me. When I look into the eyes of our children, see their smiles and hear their laughs I'll know he's there with us giving us his strength and love." She finished as a tear fell from her eyes and she knelt down as she kissed her fingertips and pressed her fingertips to the earth. "I'll always love you Juice...always..."

After that she stood and walked back to her seat. She cuddled Espy close to her heart and the words spoken became white noise once more. She'd shared her feelings and she hoped they'd all taken something from it. Juice may have done some horrible things in the past but his final act on the earth had wiped that slate clean.

…

"It's gettin' cold love, why don' ya come in?" Chibs asked as they stood on the porch of what was formerly her house but was now Chantal and Phil's home where they had gathered for a dinner to celebrate Juice's life.

"I will, I just need a moment to myself." She told him and he sighed as he walked to her and joined her in leaning against the railing. While they stood there Chibs looked her over. She was better than she'd been during the funeral but he could tell she was heartbroken. The pain he felt radiating from her broke his own heart and filled him with guilt. Guilt that he'd survived and his Brother didn't.

"I'm sorry Milla." He said softly and she looked at him, her face sad but loving.

"Don't be, because of you his death meant something. He gave his life so you could live. I know it's how he would have wanted it." She told him and he nodded.

"What're ya gonna do now?" He asked and she sighed.

"Live, I have a family to raise a business to run and a mortgage to pay. Juice always said I was the strongest woman he knew and I'll be damned if I make him a liar." She spoke with passion and Chibs placed his hand on hers.

"He was right, yer strong an' I know yer family's in good hands." Chibs told her before he stood and moved toward the door but before he could move further Milla stopped him.

"Wait, I need you to tell me what he said before he died." She pleaded with him and Chibs turned around and gave her a pained look, this was a subject he was hoping would be brought up at a later time, but he wasn't going to ignore her request.

"He asked me ta keep ya safe an' I agreed." He told her and Milla nodded.

"Thank you for that. Thank you for everything." She thanked him sincerely before he turned and walked back into the house leaving her in solitude.

It was there she stood until she heard Esperanza's voice and it was what she needed to take her from herself. With a mental shake and a deep breath she forced herself to go on and face the people she loved. As soon as she was through the door Espy attached herself to Milla's waist while Anna Lu fought in her grandmother's grasp. With tears in her eyes that had more to do with love than sadness Milla took a seat among the group and held her daughter's in her lap. They would be her rock from now on and she'd be theirs. No matter what the future would hold or what hardships they'd face she knew they'd get through it together.

…

**Author's Note:** There it is, the end of Tough Choices. I hope you enjoyed it and I'm so happy to have it done. Within the next couple of weeks look for a new story that will be completely AU. It will take place after the guys are released from prison and follow my own storylines. It's my hope to bring something fresh and new to the fandom. Thank you all for reading and reviewing, it means so much to me. Much love to you all :)


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